ABSTRACT
IN contrast to the relatively rich literature, enlightened by many cases, on property rights in modern societies, the corresponding literature by economists on aboriginal societies is peremptory and uninformed by interdisciplinary studies. This relatively brief literature is enlightened by only a few case studies and concrete examples. Both the analysis and its credibility can be improved by more use of relevant data, covering a wider variety of cases. This article undertakes such an endeavor, using the observations of anthropologists of the diverse set of rights, customs, and practices of over fifty aboriginal peoples. The cases considered here include peoples who used their group territories for hunting and fishing; for gathering wild roots, fruit, vegetables, and invertebrates; and (sometimes) for primitive horticulture. Among the studied groups, one observes almost all conceivable structures of rights.
