diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 5aef989..b8ad806 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,14 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## v0.5.0 (2023-09-28)
+
+### Features
+
+- introducing ancestors queries to query for parents of an entity, the parents of parents, and so on:
+  - `Ecspanse.Query.select/2` new option: `:for_ancestors_of`
+  - `Ecspanse.Query.list_ancestors/1`
+  - `Ecspanse.Query.list_tagged_components_for_ancestors/2`
+
 ## v0.4.0 (2023-09-17)
 
 ### Breaking
diff --git a/lib/ecspanse/query.ex b/lib/ecspanse/query.ex
index e7ebbd4..e37e011 100644
--- a/lib/ecspanse/query.ex
+++ b/lib/ecspanse/query.ex
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ defmodule Ecspanse.Query do
           not_for_entities: list(Ecspanse.Entity.t()),
           for_children_of: list(Ecspanse.Entity.t()),
           for_descendants_of: list(Ecspanse.Entity.t()),
-          for_parents_of: list(Ecspanse.Entity.t())
+          for_parents_of: list(Ecspanse.Entity.t()),
+          for_ancestors_of: list(Ecspanse.Entity.t())
         }
 
   @enforce_keys [:select]
@@ -43,7 +44,8 @@ defmodule Ecspanse.Query do
     :not_for_entities,
     :for_children_of,
     :for_descendants_of,
-    :for_parents_of
+    :for_parents_of,
+    :for_ancestors_of
   ]
 
   defmodule Error do
@@ -108,9 +110,10 @@ defmodule Ecspanse.Query do
   - `:for_children_of` - a list of `t:Ecspanse.Entity.t/0`. The components will be returned only for the children of those entities.
   - `:for_descendants_of` - a list of `t:Ecspanse.Entity.t/0`. The components will be returned only for all descendants of those entities.
   - `:for_parents_of` - a list of `t:Ecspanse.Entity.t/0`. The components will be returned only for the parents of those entities.
+  - `:for_ancestors_of` - a list of `t:Ecspanse.Entity.t/0`. The components will be returned only for all ancestors of those entities.
 
   > #### Info  {: .error}
-  > Combining the following filters is not supported: `:for, :not_for, :for_children_of, :for_descendants_of, :for_parents_of`.
+  > Combining the following filters is not supported: `:for, :not_for, :for_children_of, :for_descendants_of, :for_parents_of, :for_ancestors_of`.
   > Only one of them can be used in a query. Otherwise it will rise an error.
 
   ## Examples
@@ -177,6 +180,7 @@ defmodule Ecspanse.Query do
     for_children_of = Keyword.get(filters, :for_children_of, []) |> Enum.uniq()
     for_descendants_of = Keyword.get(filters, :for_descendants_of, []) |> Enum.uniq()
     for_parents_of = Keyword.get(filters, :for_parents_of, []) |> Enum.uniq()
+    for_ancestors_of = Keyword.get(filters, :for_ancestors_of, []) |> Enum.uniq()
 
     :ok = validate_entities(for_entities)
 
@@ -189,7 +193,8 @@ defmodule Ecspanse.Query do
       not_for_entities: not_for_entities,
       for_children_of: for_children_of,
       for_descendants_of: for_descendants_of,
-      for_parents_of: for_parents_of
+      for_parents_of: for_parents_of,
+      for_ancestors_of: for_ancestors_of
     }
   end
 
@@ -350,6 +355,27 @@ defmodule Ecspanse.Query do
     end
   end
 
+  @doc """
+  Returns the list of ancestor entities for the given entity.
+  That means the parents of the entity and their parents and so on.
+
+  ## Examples
+
+    ```elixir
+    [hero_entity, level_entity] = Ecspanse.Query.list_ancestors(compass_entity)
+    ```
+  """
+  @doc group: :relationships
+  @spec list_ancestors(Ecspanse.Entity.t()) :: list(Ecspanse.Entity.t())
+  def list_ancestors(%Entity{} = entity) do
+    memo_list_ancestors(entity)
+  end
+
+  @doc false
+  defmemo memo_list_ancestors(%Entity{} = entity), max_waiter: 1000, waiter_sleep_ms: 0 do
+    list_ancestors_entities([entity], [])
+  end
+
   @doc """
   Fetches an entity's component by a list of tags.
   Raises if more than one entry is found.
@@ -397,6 +423,7 @@ defmodule Ecspanse.Query do
 
   @doc """
   Returns a list of components tagged with a list of tags for all entities.
+
   The components need to be tagged with all the given tags to return.
 
   ## Examples
@@ -441,6 +468,8 @@ defmodule Ecspanse.Query do
   @doc """
   Returns a list of components tagged with a list of tags for a given entity.
 
+  The components need to be tagged with all the given tags to return.
+
   ## Examples
 
     ```elixir
@@ -467,6 +496,8 @@ defmodule Ecspanse.Query do
   Returns a list of components tagged with a list of tags for a given list of entities.
   The components are not grouped by entity, but returned as a flat list.
 
+  The components need to be tagged with all the given tags to return.
+
   ## Examples
 
     ```elixir
@@ -502,6 +533,8 @@ defmodule Ecspanse.Query do
   @doc """
   Returns a list of components tagged with a list of tags for the children of a given entity.
 
+  The components need to be tagged with all the given tags to return.
+
   ## Examples
 
     ```elixir
@@ -522,6 +555,8 @@ defmodule Ecspanse.Query do
   @doc """
   Returns a list of components tagged with a list of tags for the descendants of a given entity.
 
+  The components need to be tagged with all the given tags to return.
+
   ## Examples
 
     ```elixir
@@ -542,6 +577,8 @@ defmodule Ecspanse.Query do
   @doc """
   Returns a list of components tagged with a list of tags for the parents of a given entity.
 
+  The components need to be tagged with all the given tags to return.
+
   ## Examples
 
     ```elixir
@@ -559,6 +596,28 @@ defmodule Ecspanse.Query do
     end
   end
 
+  @doc """
+  Returns a list of components tagged with a list of tags for the ancestors of a given entity.
+
+  The components need to be tagged with all the given tags to return.
+
+  ## Examples
+
+    ```elixir
+    [dungeon_component] = Ecspanse.Query.list_tagged_components_for_ancestors(hero_entity, [:dungeon])
+    ```
+  """
+  @doc group: :tags
+  @spec list_tagged_components_for_ancestors(Ecspanse.Entity.t(), list(tag :: atom())) ::
+          list(components_state :: struct())
+  def list_tagged_components_for_ancestors(entity, tags) do
+    case list_ancestors(entity) do
+      [] -> []
+      [ancestor] -> list_tagged_components_for_entity(ancestor, tags)
+      ancestors -> list_tagged_components_for_entities(ancestors, tags)
+    end
+  end
+
   @doc """
   Fetches the component by its module for a given entity.
 
@@ -853,6 +912,9 @@ defmodule Ecspanse.Query do
       not Enum.empty?(query.for_parents_of) ->
         entities_with_components_stream_for_parents(query)
 
+      not Enum.empty?(query.for_ancestors_of) ->
+        entities_with_components_stream_for_ancestors(query)
+
       true ->
         filter_for_entities([])
     end
@@ -879,6 +941,13 @@ defmodule Ecspanse.Query do
     end
   end
 
+  defp entities_with_components_stream_for_ancestors(query) do
+    case list_ancestors_entities(query.for_ancestors_of, []) do
+      [] -> []
+      entities -> filter_for_entities(entities)
+    end
+  end
+
   defp list_children_entities(entities) do
     select({Component.Children}, for: entities)
     |> stream()
@@ -911,6 +980,24 @@ defmodule Ecspanse.Query do
     |> Stream.concat()
   end
 
+  defp list_ancestors_entities([], acc) do
+    acc
+  end
+
+  defp list_ancestors_entities(entities, acc) do
+    parents =
+      select({Component.Parents}, for: entities)
+      |> stream()
+      |> Stream.map(fn {%Component.Parents{entities: parents}} -> parents end)
+      |> Enum.concat()
+
+    # avoid circular dependencies
+    parents = Enum.uniq(parents -- acc)
+    acc = Enum.uniq(acc ++ parents)
+
+    list_ancestors_entities(parents, acc)
+  end
+
   defp filter_for_entities([]) do
     Ecspanse.Util.list_entities_components()
     |> Stream.map(fn {k, v} -> {k, v} end)
diff --git a/mix.exs b/mix.exs
index 16e63c6..8c4923b 100644
--- a/mix.exs
+++ b/mix.exs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 defmodule Ecspanse.MixProject do
   use Mix.Project
 
-  @version "0.4.0"
+  @version "0.5.0"
   @source_url "https://github.com/iacobson/ecspanse"
 
   def project do
diff --git a/test/ecspanse/query_test.exs b/test/ecspanse/query_test.exs
index 4b9d5c4..f80763d 100644
--- a/test/ecspanse/query_test.exs
+++ b/test/ecspanse/query_test.exs
@@ -355,6 +355,35 @@ defmodule Ecspanse.QueryTest do
       assert length(components) == 1
     end
 
+    test "can query just ancestors of entities" do
+      entity_1 =
+        Ecspanse.Command.spawn_entity!({Ecspanse.Entity, components: [TestComponent1]})
+
+      entity_2 =
+        Ecspanse.Command.spawn_entity!(
+          {Ecspanse.Entity, components: [TestComponent1], parents: [entity_1]}
+        )
+
+      entity_3 =
+        Ecspanse.Command.spawn_entity!(
+          {Ecspanse.Entity, components: [TestComponent1], parents: [entity_2]}
+        )
+
+      assert result =
+               Ecspanse.Query.select({Ecspanse.Entity, TestComponent1},
+                 for_ancestors_of: [entity_3]
+               )
+               |> Ecspanse.Query.stream()
+               |> Enum.to_list()
+
+      assert length(result) == 2
+
+      for {entity, component} <- result do
+        assert entity.id in [entity_1.id, entity_2.id]
+        assert %TestComponent1{} = component
+      end
+    end
+
     test "can return only one result and not a stream" do
       Ecspanse.Command.spawn_entity!(
         {Ecspanse.Entity, components: [TestComponent1, TestComponent2, TestComponent3]}
@@ -426,6 +455,18 @@ defmodule Ecspanse.QueryTest do
     end
   end
 
+  describe "list_ancestors/1" do
+    test "returns the ancestors of an entity" do
+      entity_1 = Ecspanse.Command.spawn_entity!({Ecspanse.Entity, components: [TestComponent1]})
+
+      entity_2 = Ecspanse.Command.spawn_entity!({Ecspanse.Entity, children: [entity_1]})
+
+      entity_3 = Ecspanse.Command.spawn_entity!({Ecspanse.Entity, children: [entity_2]})
+
+      assert [entity_2, entity_3] == Ecspanse.Query.list_ancestors(entity_1)
+    end
+  end
+
   describe "fetch_tagged_component" do
     test "fetches one entity's component by its tags" do
       entity =
@@ -592,7 +633,7 @@ defmodule Ecspanse.QueryTest do
 
       entity_3 =
         Ecspanse.Command.spawn_entity!(
-          {Ecspanse.Entity, components: [{TestComponent4, [], [:alpha]}], parents: [entity_1]}
+          {Ecspanse.Entity, components: [{TestComponent4, [], [:alpha]}], parents: [entity_2]}
         )
 
       Ecspanse.Command.spawn_entity!(
@@ -600,7 +641,7 @@ defmodule Ecspanse.QueryTest do
          components: [TestComponent3, {TestComponent4, [], [:alpha]}, TestComponent5]}
       )
 
-      components = Ecspanse.Query.list_tagged_components_for_descendants(entity_2, [:bar, :alpha])
+      components = Ecspanse.Query.list_tagged_components_for_children(entity_2, [:bar, :alpha])
 
       assert length(components) == 2
 
@@ -612,7 +653,7 @@ defmodule Ecspanse.QueryTest do
   end
 
   describe "list_tagged_components_for_descendants/2" do
-    test "returns the components for a list of tags for the children of a given entity" do
+    test "returns the components for a list of tags for the descendants of a given entity" do
       entity_1 =
         Ecspanse.Command.spawn_entity!(
           {Ecspanse.Entity,
@@ -628,7 +669,7 @@ defmodule Ecspanse.QueryTest do
 
       entity_3 =
         Ecspanse.Command.spawn_entity!(
-          {Ecspanse.Entity, components: [{TestComponent4, [], [:alpha]}], parents: [entity_2]}
+          {Ecspanse.Entity, components: [{TestComponent4, [], [:alpha]}], parents: [entity_1]}
         )
 
       Ecspanse.Command.spawn_entity!(
@@ -636,7 +677,7 @@ defmodule Ecspanse.QueryTest do
          components: [TestComponent3, {TestComponent4, [], [:alpha]}, TestComponent5]}
       )
 
-      components = Ecspanse.Query.list_tagged_components_for_children(entity_2, [:bar, :alpha])
+      components = Ecspanse.Query.list_tagged_components_for_descendants(entity_2, [:bar, :alpha])
 
       assert length(components) == 2
 
@@ -683,6 +724,42 @@ defmodule Ecspanse.QueryTest do
     end
   end
 
+  describe "list_tagged_components_for_ancestors/2" do
+    test "returns the components for a list of tags for the ancestors of a given entity" do
+      entity_1 =
+        Ecspanse.Command.spawn_entity!(
+          {Ecspanse.Entity,
+           components: [
+             TestComponent1,
+             TestComponent2,
+             {TestComponent4, [], [:alpha]},
+             TestComponent5
+           ]}
+        )
+
+      entity_2 = Ecspanse.Command.spawn_entity!({Ecspanse.Entity, parents: [entity_1]})
+
+      entity_3 =
+        Ecspanse.Command.spawn_entity!(
+          {Ecspanse.Entity, components: [{TestComponent4, [], [:alpha]}], children: [entity_1]}
+        )
+
+      Ecspanse.Command.spawn_entity!(
+        {Ecspanse.Entity,
+         components: [TestComponent3, {TestComponent4, [], [:alpha]}, TestComponent5]}
+      )
+
+      components = Ecspanse.Query.list_tagged_components_for_ancestors(entity_2, [:bar, :alpha])
+
+      assert length(components) == 2
+
+      assert [%TestComponent4{} = comp_1, %TestComponent4{} = comp_2] = components
+      e1 = Ecspanse.Query.get_component_entity(comp_1)
+      e2 = Ecspanse.Query.get_component_entity(comp_2)
+      assert Enum.all?([e1, e2], fn e -> e.id in [entity_1.id, entity_3.id] end)
+    end
+  end
+
   describe "fetch_component/2" do
     test "returns a component for a given entity" do
       entity_1 =