While the origin
of wedding rings can be traced back to ancient Egypt, you may be surprised
to learn that in ancient Egypt there was no wedding ceremony. Instead,
marriages were most often arranged by the parents with goals of personal
advancement or stability. Back then, the “men” usually married between the ages
of 16-20, or when he could earn money to provide for his family. Women, or I
should say girls, commonly married at 13 or closely after puberty. So instead
of a ceremony, there was an agreement and when the bride entered the groom's
house and the agreed price or goods were exchanged, they were married.
Bride price
The groom’s father was the one who wrote up the marriage
“settlement” or contract
which was signed in front of witnesses before marriage could even be
considered. This agreement included the bride price (payment made by the groom
or his family to the bride’s parents), and also included pre-nuptial agreements
as to how things would be divided if divorce did enter the picture.
Purpose of marriage in ancient Egypt
While marriage in ancient Egypt seems more like a
business deal by today’s standards, the purpose of marriage in ancient Egypt
was to have children. Along with that, it was hoped, and even expected, that
the husband and wife would grow to love and honor one another. So, ideally, an
ancient Egyptian marriage relationship was one where the couple remained
faithful and produced offspring. I guess you could say, they had the same hopes
and aspirations as many brides and grooms in modern times.
How did ancient Egyptians handle divorce?
Ancient Egyptian women were not treated as property by their husbands (like ancient Grecian woman) and so they had the right to divorce and remarry. Divorce happened much the same way as the marriage with a new agreement
to end the marriage. This divorce could be asked for by either of the
spouses, and a new agreement was signed agreeing to the dividing of material
possessions based on the prenuptial agreement. Once it was signed, the marriage
was over. But with divorce in ancient Egypt, the woman left the relationship
with the children. They belonged to her.
