Is there an ellipsis here?

Question

In a period characterized by the dismantling of previous structures and the merging of different cultures and societies, magical beliefs also merged, giving birth to new realities issued from the exchanges between Roman, Judeo-Christian, and Germanic cultures.
I think it should be ‘the dismantling of previous structures of cultures and societies and the merging of different cultures and societies’ but in order not to be repetitive the author omits ‘of the cultures and societies’ after ‘structure’. But I’m not sure if it’s how ellipsis works. Is there an ellipsis here?
If there’s no ellipsis here, then what does ‘dismantling of previous structures’ mean? To me it has no specific reference. Is it political structures or economic structures?

Stockfish · Answer

While you could append the phrase "of different cultures and societies" to "structures" without any significant addition or loss of meaning, I doubt if the writer intended to leave out a phrase that he/she could essentially do without, and that, perhaps, doesn't necessarily even belong there. The use of ellipsis isn't necessarily merited here.

Answered by Stockfish on September 5, 2020

Anton · Answer

I doubt your interpretation. Structures may refer to administrative and financial arrangements that, although parts of society and culture, are distinct parts.
A comma after “structures” would have made it clear that the period was characterised by the dismantling of structures, and by the merger of cultures and societies. Without the comma, there is an ambiguity, which justifies your own interpretation and suggests the ellipsis.

Is there an ellipsis here?

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