Previous studies have shown that both economic and familial factors affect the status of the elderly across cultures. The objective of this study was to identify other antecedents of the status of the elderly, especially those involving the familial and religious domains. The presence or absence of ancestor worship was used as an indicator of the religious aspects of the society. A sample of nonindustrialized societies from the Human Relations Area Files (HRAF) and the Standard Cross-Cultural Sample (SCCS) provided cross-cultural data. The dependent variable (status of the elderly) and two independent variables (the value of conformity versus self-reliance in socialization and ancestor worship) were coded from the HRAF. These data were used to test the hypothesis that the status of the elderly varies according to predominant social norms and the practice of ancestor worship. The basic patterns of effects of the independent variables were found to be similar for both sexes. The results showed that the status of the elderly was higher in societies where conformity was emphasized in the socialization process. The correlation between elderly status and the practice of ancestor worship, however, appears to be spurious. A multivariate analysis revealed that ancestor worship had no significant effects on the status of the elderly. (References and data tables are included.) (ABL)