puberty and initiation

Scope Note

Ideas, beliefs, and practices associated with first emissio seminis and first menstruation; rites of passage at or near puberty; prevalence of special initiation rites for each gender; ceremonial sponsors; function and purpose of ceremonial; mystery and seclusion; taboos; ordeals and tests; teaching secret lore; special instruction in sex life; ideas of death and rebirth; etc.

Identifier

Broader Term

• 880 adolescence, adulthood, and old age

Related Terms

• 145 ontogenetic data
• 304 body alterations
• 5311 visual arts
• 532 representative art
• 534 musical instruments
• 561 age stratification
• 575 sodalities
• 582 regulation of marriage
• 608 artificial kin relationships
• 775 eschatology
• 784 avoidance and taboo
• 795 religious denominations
• 796 organized ceremonial
• 841 menstruation
• 864 sex training