How did the sib function as both a clan and a household in Germanic society?

In Germanic society, the term sib (sippe) functioned as a dual social institution, encompassing both the broad clan and the narrow household.1

• As a Clan: The sib represented an extended family consisting of all individuals related by blood, regardless of how remote the connection. This group was subject to the authority of a clan chief.1
• As a Household: The sib also referred to a smaller family unit whose members were under the mund, or legal guardianship, of the family head. A male remained under his father’s mund until he reached physical maturity, while a female remained under it until marriage, at which point she passed into the mund of her husband.1

This structure was central to Germanic life, as the family head exercised significant control over property and legal obligations, while the broader clan provided a framework for social organization and tribal participation.1