Marriage History

the origin of marriage

Sun Feb 19 22:03:34 +0000 2012

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The best available evidence suggests that it’s about 4,350 years old. For thousands of years before that, most anthropologists believe, families consisted of loosely organized groups of as many as 30 people, with several male leaders, multiple women shared by them, and children. As hunter-gatherers settled down into agrarian civilizations, society had a need for more stable arrangements. The first recorded evidence of marriage ceremonies uniting one woman and one man dates from about 2350 B.C., in Mesopotamia.

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Lecture 2: Ancient Western Asia and the Civilization of Mesopotamia

Sun Feb 19 22:22:59 +0000 2012

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The largest number of laws in the Code of Hammurabi were dedicated to marriage and family. Parents arranged marriages for their children. After marriage, the party signed a marriage contract. Without this contract, no one was considered legally married. While the husband provided a bridal payment, the woman's parents were responsible for a dowry to the husband. Dowries were carefully monitored and governed by regulations.
marriage
Mesopotamian society was a patriarchal society, and so women possessed far fewer privileges and rights in their marriage. A woman's place was at home and failure to fulfill her duties was grounds for divorce. If she was not able to bear children, her husband could divorce her but he had to repay the dowry. If his wife tried to leave the home in order to engage in business, her husband could divorce her and did not have to repay the dowry. Furthermore, if his wife was a "gadabout, . . . neglecting her house [and] humiliating her husband," she could be drowned.
Women were guaranteed some rights, however. If a woman was divorced without good reason she received the dowry back. A woman could seek divorce and get her dowry back if her husband was unable to show that she had done anything wrong. The mother also chose a son to whom an inheritance would be passed.
Sexual relations were strictly regulated as well. Husbands, but not wives, were permitted sexual activity outside marriage. A wife caught committing adultery was pitched into the river. Incest was strictly forbidden. If a father committed incestuous relations with his daughter, he would be banished. Incest between a son and his mother resulted in both being burned.

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Marriage and Divorce Documents: Mesopotamian

Sun Feb 19 22:15:27 +0000 2012

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Laqipum has married Hatala
If within two years she (i.e., Hatala) does not provide him with offspring, (10) she herself will purchase a slavewoman, and later on, after she[2] will have produced a child by him, (15) he may then dispose of her by sale wheresoever he pleases. [3] Should Laqipum choose to divorce her (text: "him"), he must pay (her) five minas of silver- (20) and should Hatala choose to divorce him, she must pay (him) five minas of silver.

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Internet History Sourcebooks

Sun Feb 19 22:08:24 +0000 2012

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VIII. Marriage
Contract for Marriage, Reign of Shamshu-ilu-na, c. 2200 B.C.
Contract for Marriage, Thirteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar II, 591 B.C.
Contract of Marriage, Sixth year of Nabonidus, 549 B.C.

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Mesopotamia: Role of Women

Sun Feb 19 22:25:39 +0000 2012

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The Mesopotamian woman's role was strictly defined. She was the daughter of her father or the wife of her husband. Women rarely acted as individuals outside the context of their families.
Most girls were trained from childhood for the traditional roles of wife, mother, and housekeeper.
Soon after puberty, a young girl was considered ready for marriage. Marriages were arranged by the families of the future bride and groom.
marriage
If her husband-to-be died before the wedding, she was then married to one of his brothers or another male relative.

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