Previously,
we presented the status of women’s inheritance in ancient Egypt, as part of our study of the place of women in ancient civilizations. Since the Egyptian civilization is one of the oldest and most ancient of the ancient civilizations, the status of women varied from one ruling family to another, and from one ruling period to another. However, there were general social concepts that governed that civilization. To understand these concepts, we must now discuss the family system and marriage laws in order to better understand the view of the ancient Egyptian society on women.[1]
Marriage in ancient Egypt
represented a sacred bond between a woman and a man. The ancient Egyptian sanctified marriage, and preserved for the Egyptian woman all her marital rights. Professor Janet Johnson[2] from the University of Chicago says: “Marriage contracts in ancient Egypt were in the interest of the woman and guaranteed her rights in the event of the marriage due to pressure from her family, or any other circumstances.”
Women were legally empowered in all aspects of their lives and did not need the supervision, advice or consent of men to pursue any action. This intellectual perspective also applies to marriage, sex, and any other aspect of one’s life. Women were able to marry whomever they wanted, as marriages were not arranged by the males of the family, and they were also able to divorce whenever they wanted. There was no stigma attached to divorce despite the preference for lifelong marriage.
Hence, the idea of “custody” or “welaya” as known under the Egyptian current law did not exist. Women used to choose men, even propose to them, and decide to marry them.
Women, in ancient Egypt, maintained their independence after marriage. The husband’s role was never to become her guardian, because the woman preserved her financial liberation. The husband could manage his wife’s assets, if she agreed to grant him this power. As we mentioned in the previous article, she attained her right to inherit her husband when he dies.
Ancient Egyptian husbands
also made prenuptial agreements that were in the wife’s interest. If the divorce is issued by the man, he loses all the right to demand his gifts and has to pay a certain amount of money as alimony to his divorced woman until she remarries or asks to stop the payment of funding. Custody of the children was the right of the wife as well as the ownership of the house, unless it was owned by the husband’s family.[3]
The ancient Egyptian loved his wife and was keen to announce this without the slightest hesitation or shame.
There were contracts to complete the marriage, although they did not appear until now before the late era. These contracts included many items that show the relationship between the spouses, including: the dowry, the way of living, the husband’s gifts to his wife, and the furniture that the wife shares. The contract also included the protection of children. The contract did not neglect the observance of the wife’s rights upon separation.[4]
Though family was considered sacred, it was founded to live for lifetime, nevertheless, divorce was a mutual right for both parties.
As for polygamy in ancient Egypt, although it existed among kings, it was not widespread among citizens except in the narrowest limits, and perhaps that was for social and economic reasons that worked to reduce it, although there were no texts warning against polygamy.[5]
Polygamy among kings was mostly for purely political reasons. King (Amenhotep III), during the eighteenth dynasty, took, alongside his famous wife, Queen Tiye, wives from Babylon and Assyria in order to strengthen the relationship between the countries of eastern Egypt.
As for King Ramses II, during the era of the nineteenth dynasty, although he was married to the two beauties (Nefertari) and (Isis Nefert); He also married the princess, who was later called (Maatneferra) the daughter of the King of the Hittites after the Battle of Kadesh, and the treaty that followed, in order to strengthen the ties between the two countries.
Preceded them in the era of the Old Kingdom, King (Titi), founder of the Sixth Dynasty, where he had two wives.
So, polygamy existed in the ancient Egyptian society, however, it was either restricted to rich people, or resented by women.
There is another factor that reduced the probability of polygamy, which is an economic factor; The woman was also considered the companion of her husband and used to help him in managing the affairs of the house, hunting, fishing and birds. Thus, the Egyptian woman is a mainstay of all domestic and political affairs.[6] The woman would get up early in the morning to prepare breakfast for her husband and children, the husband and the eldest son would go to work, the young sons would go with the cattle and geese, or the mother would go with them to school to learn. The man frequently moved between a number of places to practice grazing or farming, or any other craft that brought him a livelihood, while the wife had to organize her home, create happiness and prosperity for her husband, and take care of raising her children. She would go out into the nearby canal to fill the jar and wash the clothes, and come home with enough water for the rest of the day. During the Old Kingdom, although the position of a woman was hierarchical and of a smaller size than that of her husband, her social importance was distinct and also, characteristics were passed on from the mother to her daughters. This economical power of women in the family did not allow men to practice polygamy in a wide scale.
Among the sayings of the Egyptian sages about the position of women’s care and their commandments for their children, which were found on one of the papyri that recorded those commandments. The wise Ptahhotep said from about the year 2400 BC: “If you want wisdom, love your partner, take care of her. Take care of your house, feed her as it should, cover her back and cover her, embrace her and fulfill her requests, open your arms for her, and invite her to show your love for her. Open her chest and bring happiness to her heart for the rest of her life; It is a good field for its master, and you should not be harsh on it, for cruelty ruins the house that you founded. It is the house of your life. You have chosen it before gods, and you are responsible for it before gods.” “Preserve her as long as you live, for she is the gift of the gods, who responded to your supplication, and bestowed it upon you, and you have to sanctify the blessing to please the gods.” Feel her pain before she suffers… She is the mother of your children. If you make her happy, she will make them happy, and in taking care of her she will take care of them. She is a trust in your hand and heart. You are responsible for her before the greatest god, as you swore in his shrine that you would be her brother, father, and life partner.” As the wise Ani said in the fourteenth century BC. M, directing his speech to the men: “Do not be a controlling boss in your wife’s house, if you know that she is excellent and performs her duty in the marital home. She is happy and you support her, your hand is with her (…) You know the value of your wife and your happiness when you have your hand next to her. Every husband should show self-control in his treatment of his wife.” As for the wise Sanab-hotep, he recommends to his son the following: “If you want God, love your life partner, take care of her, hence she will take care of your home and take care of you, bring her close to your heart, for God has made her a mother to your soul. If you make her happy, she makes your home happy, and if you make your home happy, you make yourself happy, provide her with her clothing, means of her decoration, her favorite flowers, and her own perfume, all of that will be reflected on your home and perfume your life and give it light.”[7]
[1] https://www.shorthistory.org/ancient-civilizations/ancient-egypt/marriage-in-ancient-egypt/
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet_Johnson_(Egyptologist)
[3] https://www.shorthistory.org/ancient-civilizations/ancient-egypt/marriage-in-ancient-egypt/
[4] https://www.ancient-egypt-online.com/ancient-egypt-marriage.html
[5] https://www.cram.com/essay/Polygamy-In-Ancient-Egypt/PCS24UBTUG#:~:text=Polygamy%20in%20ancient%20Egypt%20was%20not%20common%3B%20however,of%20the%20wife%20he%20could%20take%20another%20one.
[6] http://www.womenintheancientworld.com/marriage%20in%20ancient%20egypt.htm
[7] https://www.unexplainable.net/ancients/ancient-egyptian-family-life-women.php
