ættarrekstri
Attarrekstri is a term used in Icelandic genealogical and anthropological discourse to describe the maintenance and transmission of a family line across generations. The word combines ætt, meaning clan or lineage, with rekstri, meaning carrying on or sustaining, and is used to refer to both the social practice of preserving kinship ties and the genealogical work of tracing descent.
Historically, lineage continuity has been central to property rights, social status, and alliance-building in kin-based societies.
In modern scholarship, ættarrekstri is studied as a way to understand how genealogical knowledge is produced,
See also: genealogy, lineage, clan, Icelandic sagas, kinship.
Notes on usage: While the concept originates in Nordic and Icelandic contexts, discussions of ættarrekstri often