rite of passage

Images

Pompeii: wall painting

initiation ritual

Discover

Cleopatra hieroglyphic carving the Ancient Egyptian queen Cleopatra. Wall of the Temple of Horus at Edfu, Egypt.

What Did Cleopatra Look Like?

Panoramic view at sunrise of moai, Ahu Tongariki, Easter Island (Rapa Nui), Chile

6 Lost Civilizations

Eye. Eyelash. Eyeball. Vision.

7 Vestigial Features of the Human Body

Small, white rat (genus Rattus) on a glass table. (rodent, laboratory, experiment)

Cruel and Unusual Punishments: 15 Types of Torture

Nativity Scene, Adoration of the Magi, Church of the Birth of the Virgin Mary, Montenegro

Why Is Christmas in December?

Saguaro cacti dot the Sonoran Desert landscape at Saguaro National Park, Arizona. Formerly Saguaro National Monument cactus

Can You Drink Water from a Cactus?

Jackson (Wyoming, United States). Jackson Lake (also called Jackson Hole), southern end of the Teton Range (the Grand Tetons), Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, USA

7 Wonders of America

rite of passage: Facts & Related Content

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Also Known As	passage rite

Photos

Pompeii: wall painting

initiation ritual

See All Images →

Topics

death rite birth rite initiation rite marriage rite coming-of-age rite hazing rumspringa prom human composting cryonics sacrifice purification rite sacrament consecration baptism anointment gift exchange exorcism triumph first-fruits ceremony

Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

Key People

Arnold van Gennep

French anthropologist