Which customs did Giambattista Vico consider essential to the birth and renewal of nations?

Giambattista Vico, an influential Italian philosopher of cultural history, identified three fundamental principles that he believed were essential to the birth and regeneration of all nations. According to Vico, these universal customs are:

• Religion: The presence of a religious belief system, which Vico viewed as the primary foundation for human society.1
• Marriage: The celebration of official marriages, which serves as a pillar for the family unit.1
• Burial of the dead: The practice of burying the dead, which he considered a properly human and universal custom.1

Vico argued that these practices, alongside the moral sentiments of modesty and piety, are the essential foundations upon which the family and, by extension, society are built. He warned that when these pillars crumble, human society risks regressing from the age of men toward a primitive, bestial state.1