Legal and economic rights of Ancient Egyptian women - Essay Example

Legal and Economic Rights of Ancient Egyptian Women Through info gleaned from ancient Egyptian artwork and historical epitaphs, ancient Egyptian women enjoyed a lot of legal and economic rights. For all intensive purposes, they had the same legal and economic rights as Egyptian men. This status was a rarity in that day and age as no women outside of the Egyptian civilization had so many privileges. It is important to note that Egypt was not a democratic society in which all people were treated equally. There were varying social classes and the socioeconomic boundaries that determined who was privy to what. Rights were comparable within each class of society but differed from one class to the next. However, legal and economic advantages were granted to both men and women in each class. The proof that Egyptian women were entitled to this legal and economic independence was acquired during the Ptolemaic period. The Greeks ruled Egypt around 300 B.C. though each had their own separate laws and social economic traditions. Political and social customs in Egypt remained in tact during Greek rule. It is ironic that Egyptian women were unaffected as far as rights were concerned. As a matter of fact, they maintained more civil liberties than their female Greek counterparts did while living in the same society. There was seemingly no end to Egyptian women's legal rights as they were capable of the following; they could maintain or relinquish property including land, servants, slaves, livestock, and money when it was available; They could end a legal settlement and be a partner in a marriage or divorce contract; If they had to go to court and sue, she could do so without a male (father, husband, brother) representing her case. Marriage was a staple in ancient Egyptian society. It did not require any formal ceremony, special wedding clothing, exchange of rings, or changing of names after the marriage is finalized. Husbands frequently had more than one wife but incest was not common except among royals. Most women got married in their early teen years after it became possible for them to conceive children. Once a woman moved out of her fathers house and entered a new home with her husband, she became independent. Any assets she brought into the home were under her control though her husband had use of them. Any property amassed during the marriage was governed by the husband but a share of it belonged to the wife. One third of the property went to her if the marriage ended or her husband died. The ability to reproduce offspring was a crucial aspect to every ancient Egyptian woman. One who was fertile was considered to be successful in the eyes of their husbands, family, friends, and society in general. If she was sterile and could not procreate most men sought divorce. They saw raising as many children as possible as a testament to their masculinity. However, as in modern society, adoption was the way to remedy the situation of infertility. Because of the shorter life expectancy and high birth rates in ancient Egypt, there were many orphaned children who sought homes and families. As in most legal cases in Egypt, women were afforded many property rights. All private property she brought into a marriage belonged to her in the event of divorce. She was entitled to inherit one third of all property purchased during the marriage upon the death of her husband. The remaining two thirds was allotted to the children and siblings of the deceased. She also had the ability to entrust her husbands property to her children or her siblings. On the flip side, she could also exclude her children from her personal and shared property. It could be awarded to certain children and omitted from others. Egyptian women entered into all kinds of contracts: marriage, divorce, property, and even self-enslavement to name a few. The latter was actually common amongst both men and women. To enter into such a contract basically meant that one was to become a servant to another. There are a couple of reasons why a woman might agree to such a thing: one is to pay off currently existing debts to a creditor-the other for personal and financial security. A woman could be guaranteed protection for herself and her family by entering into a contract like this. There were no gender biases against women when it came to filing lawsuits in court. Of course they could do so without the representation of a male. There have been man inscriptions on record stating that women were capable of winning their cases as well. If the court arrived to a conclusion that the woman objected to, she could appeal and have the decision reversed. With all of these rights Egyptian women had at their disposal, there were still some areas where they had restrictions placed on them. The Hermopolis Law Code during the third century B.C. placed certain provisions that made it difficult to determine property inheritance with male relatives when an executor is involved. This law stated that an estate of the deceased was to be divided up into plots equal to the number of children. Based on order of birth, the male children picked their plots of land. It was only after they had finished that females in order of birth would be able to choose their plots. Amongst the socioeconomic classes of women in Egypt, there were varying degrees of literacy. Some Egyptologists felt that only 1% of the female population was literate while others thought it was more like 5-10%. Regardless of the true percentage it was certain that when compared to men, women fell short in the literacy department. Women in the lower classes were definitely illiterate. The ones in the middle classes were found not to be as much as those of their poorer counterparts. Evidence of this can be found in archaeological records that suggest the literate ability of women in middle to upper classes. Some noblewomen have been correlated to scribe palettes on tombs that would indicate literacy as well as various letters. It is possible that professional scribers were commissioned for inscriptions found on the tombs and letters but no one can be certain. It is almost guaranteed that women in the royal families were literate. They were leaders so education was paramount. Princesses had private tutors so it is likely their daughters received the same. It would seem that it was unnecessary for these ancient women to be literate in their society as they held very traditional roles in the home. Most did not work outside of the home and instead focused on the family and raising the children. Men took care of work outside of the home in the public. One of males main tasks was executor of their parents mortuary cults after they deceased. This was a public role they seemingly carried out as Egyptian art illustrates. It was considered uncommon for women to hold an official job outside of the home though there were some exceptions to that rule. Some letters retrieved from that time show some women held authoritative positions in society. One woman was a judge and magistrate while another was a High Priest at a temple. Women were housekeepers, fieldhands, servants, and some were very skilled inside of the household. While these individuals were likely extraordinary exceptions to the rule, it explains just how these ancient women were capable of achieving great things. There were many more women of nobility that made their mark on society. For example, Lady Tchat oversaw a monarch's household, married him thus raising the status for herself and her son. Queen Ahhotep saved Egypt during the wars of liberation. She rallied the troops, crushed rebellion, and received Egypt's highest military decoration three times. Another example is Queen Hatshepsut who went on a military crusade on the battlefields. These women are great examples of how successful they could become within their society. To this kind of notoriety comes another type that is more like infamy. Some women became famous for being convicted of crimes. An example is a woman named Nesmut who committed robberies of royal tombs. One woman fled her district to avoid paying labor on her royal estate and was incarcerated at Thebes. Then there were the prostitutes and wives that were involved in the harem conspiracy of Ramesses III-they had their ears and noses cut off. Of course, the number of women's crimes compared to men's crimes is significantly smaller. These women were very brazen and they felt they could be equal to men in just about any endeavor they undertake whether heroic or dastardly. The stigma of Egyptian women in public was somewhat of a mixed bag. They were free to go out in public as they worked out in fields and workshops. It was not necessary for them to wear a veil at this time. Ramesses III stated in one inscription that he enabled women the freedom of going where they wanted without the worry of danger. Another inscription was found with a less liberating tone. It denounced women who were traveling into town and were unknown and alone. They were supposedly irreverent and free with their sexuality. Although they had the legal freedom to travel, Egyptian social customs dissuaded that notion. Look at the differentiation between ancient Egyptian women and women today who belong to Muslim society. It is uncanny just how much has changed from ancient civilization to modern times. Muslim women live in a completely male dominant society where they must accept their husband having multiple wives. Women were equal to men in most regards and polygamy was only common amongst they royal families in ancient times. Women are unable to go out in public alone and when they do, they must wear ultraconservative garments nowadays. Back then they did whatever they pleased while wearing simple clothing-even nudity was accepted. Lastly, women have no say in contractual agreements. They cannot manage property or ask for divorces in marriage- only men are allowed to do this. Their ancient equivalent had equal say in all contracts entered into. This change is habits within a society is very extreme. Almost all rights and privileges that ancient Egyptian women enjoyed are null and void for women in today's Muslim society. While this shift has taken place over several thousands of years, the ancient world still trumps the current for favorable legal and economic rights for women. Works Cited Baines, John. Literacy and Ancient Egyptian Society. London: Oxford University Press, 1983. Foster, John. Ancient Egyptian Literature. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2001. Silverman, David. Ancient Egypt. London: Oxford University Press, 2003. Read More