Primitive Marriage: An Enquiry into the Origin of the Form of Capture in Marriage Ceremonies

John Ferguson McLennan's Primitive Marriage: An Enquiry into the Origin of the Form of Capture in Marriage Ceremonies (1865) explores theories of social evolution, kinship, and the origins of religion. McLennan introduced the terms exogamy, referring to marriage outside a group, often involving bride capture between tribes, and endogamy, marriage within a group. His work stimulated anthropological research and influenced scholars like Sigmund Freud, Émile Durkheim, and Sir James George Frazer. The book's focus on marriage ceremonies and the origins of customs contributed to early anthropological studies of kinship and social structures.123