Why is Giambattista Vico considered a forerunner of cultural anthropology and ethnology?

Giambattista Vico is recognized as a forerunner of cultural anthropology and ethnology because he sought to integrate history with systematic social sciences to create a unified science of humanity.12

In his seminal work, Scienza nuova (New Science), Vico proposed a vision of human development that moved beyond simple linear progression. He described societies as evolving through cyclical stages—the age of gods, the age of heroes, and the age of men—each defined by distinct social structures, religious beliefs, and moral sentiments.3

Vico’s anthropological approach was grounded in the observation of universal human customs, such as the practice of religion, the celebration of marriage, and the burial of the dead. By analyzing the aspirations, fears, and cultural achievements of humanity, he explored how societies grow and decay, often due to class conflict or the corruption of moral values. His focus on the "sense of life and of history" and his attempt to understand the origins of human institutions through the lens of collective human experience established him as a foundational figure in the study of human culture.312