The Ancient Egyptian Society

The ancient Egyptian women in general were free to go about in public; they worked out in the fields and in estate workshops. They could manage and dispose of private property, including: land, portable goods, servants, slaves, livestock, and money as well as financial instruments. A woman could administer all her property independently and according to her free will. She could conclude any kind of legal settlement. She could appear as a contracting partner in a marriage contract or a divorce contract; she could execute testaments; she could free slaves; she could make adoptions. She was entitled to sue at law. Marriage was a very important part of ancient Egyptian society. Some people said that marriage was almost a duty to get married. Husbands could marry more than one wife, and people of close relations, such as first cousins, brothers and sisters, could also wed one another. There was no age limit as to when people could be married, but generally a girl did not get married until she had begun to menstruate at about the age of fourteen. Some documents state that girls may have been married at the age of eight or nine, and a mummy of an eleven years old wife has also been found. Marriage required no religious or legal ceremony. There were no special bridal clothes, no exchange of rings, no change of names to indicate marriage, and no word meaning wedding. A girl became universally acknowledged as a wife after she physically left the protection of her fathers house and entered her new home. The new husband in no way became the new wifes legal guardian. The wife kept her independence, and still kept control of her own assets. Although the husband usually controlled any joint property obtained during the marriage it was acknowledged that a share of this belonged to the wife; if the marriage ended, she could collect her share. If the husband died while married, the wife got one-third of her husbands property. Re-marriage after widowhood was very common, and some gravesites indicate three or four marriages between one people. Therefore, the status of women in ancient era can be said as a good condition because Egyptian women in ancient era are free to do anything. They also have the same status with men. A wife does not need to ask for a husband’s permission if she wants to do something.

2.3.6.2 The Status of Women in Modern Era

There is no clear explanation from the experts about timeline of modern Egyptian era. However, Scaruffi 1999 states that modern Egyptian era began around 1100s. It was began with Christian Crusaders from Europe which invaded Egypt. In other words, it can be said that modern Egyptian era was began after the ancient era ended, that was around 640 AD p. 1. Amin 1995 states that “when people talk about Middle-Eastern countries including Egypt, what they have in mind is that a woman was man’s slave, and the man was the ruler’s slave; he was the oppressor of his wife in his house and he was oppressed by the ruler when he left his house” p. 7. The fact is that women status in ancient and modern era is very different. Amin 1995 adds that “in modern era women cannot do anything freely” pp. 10-12. Everything is under the men’s control. Violence, abuse, and oppression can be found everywhere. Women do not have enough power to make use of their right in the household and society. They are really considered as the lowest part of the society. On the contrary, men are able to do anything that they want. A man may hit his wife if he