ABSTRACT
Many rituals are public rituals in which an entire community is involved to some degree. Ritual activities symbolize the particular beliefs and values of that community. A ritual is the vehicle by which basic ideas, such as the definition of good and evil and the proper nature of social relationships, are imparted to the group. This chapter discusses many of the different kinds of rituals using some of the categories developed by Anthony F. C. Wallace. Each type of ritual has its own goal and exists within its own cultural and religious context. The chapter surveys most of the types of rituals found in Wallace's classification. Rituals may be prescriptive or situational. Prescriptive rituals are rituals that are required to be performed. The function of hunting and gathering rites of intensification is to influence nature in the quest for food. Protective rituals are routinely performed at the start of a dangerous activity or occasionally in response to a gathering storm.
