Long before the genetic laws of heredity were discovered, groups of people sought to define their relations to others in complex ways. Genealogy, or the study of the history and origins of a family or group, is most commonly associated with the creation of family pedigrees. However, cultural anthropologists and other scientists often apply genealogical studies more broadly, studying the history and origins of whole populations, nations, cultures, and ethnicities. Genealogical theory also considers varying conceptions of ancestry and kin networks-- many of which extend beyond modern genetic (biological) conceptions of relatedness. In some cultures genealogical relationships are not based upon the closeness of the genome, but swell to include friends, group members, or ancient peoples to whom one merely "perceives" they are related. Regardless, although not scientifically grounded in the same sense as genetics, to some peoples...