Religious specialists Rites of Passage Title of seminal work by Arnold Van Gennep. Attempted to show similar basic pattern in all ritual with purpose of celebrating transition from one status to another in society.
Society seems to require marking of changes in social status.
Probably overall function of conveying information about who does what unambiguously when change in status may cause confusion about social fabric. Probably contributes to overall solidarity of society by reducing ambiguity. Two universals of symbolism in rites of passage. Structure of Rites of Passage. Marginal or liminal period.