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"Marriage Customs of Medieval Scotland and Ancient Egypt" by Kandi Phillips

 
       Tradition is a word that is defined as the observance of customs or rituals that have long been practiced by our predecessors. Throughout the world since the dawn of recorded history, man and woman have followed some form of commitment ceremony that would bind them together in the eyes of their deity. These ceremonies, although different in many countries and cultures, share a commonality. Medieval Scotland and Ancient Egypt have both gone through many changes throughout their histories. These civilizations, although diverse in origin and separated by thousands of years, provided women with some limited freedoms. 
       Domestic life in Medieval Scotland was diverse among the classes. Among the poorer classes the women helped to provide the family income,  and their contributions gave them the right to find a man who they felt met their needs.  Women of the aristocracy were not desired for their skills but for their dowries. Their land and wealth was a means of securing greater wealth and political power for the combined families. In all levels of society, an economic agreement between the two families would be reached before the marriage. This was a form of a pre-nuptial agreement that would establish what property the bride brought to the marriage, as well as what property the groom would bestow upon the wife in the event of his death (Marriage: Europe 1). Corporal punishment was allowed to discipline a wife, but brutality was not tolerated. If a woman was skilled, she could earn her own money, and this afforded some a certain level of independence.
       The Catholic Church had a strong grip on the daily life of the Scottish people. Catholicism was the practiced religion, and everything revolved around the parish church. Before a marriage could take place, the church required that there be no relation between the couple. This issue was debated for centuries, but as early as the 13th century, it was fixed at four degrees. This means that a couple who shared a great-great-grandfather could not marry. This often created a problem for the people living within a small village. A preexisting marriage or prior marriage agreement could also prevent the marriage (Marriage: Europe 1). Before becoming betrothed, it was deemed proper to have the banns read at church for three Sundays in a row before a marriage could take place. The purpose of this announcement was to make sure that there would be no obstacle that would prevent the marriage. The banns were used mostly by the peasant class due to economy. Men were usually older than their wives, and some age differences were quite significant. Scotland followed canon law which was created by the Catholic Church. In the mid eighteenth century, this law allowed girls over the age of twelve and boys over the age of fourteen to marry. They were required to seal the agreement with intercourse and would be considered married even without consent from their parents, a license, or calling of the banns. 
       Scotland has been rife with superstitions for centuries, and there are many attached to wedding ceremonies even today. Marriage customs have been handed down with these superstitions from generation to generation.  To be married on the last Friday of the year was considered to be very lucky (Hartland 92).  One such odd custom is the gift of a chamber-pot filled with salt. In Scottish folk-belief, it is believed to have an aphrodisiac effect. The saying goes, “fond o’ saut, fond o’ the lasses.” The evening before the wedding, the bride’s presents and clothing were taken to the new home under the watchful eye of the bridesmaid. The bridesmaid would carry a round object filled with salt which is to be the first part of the bride’s furnishings taken into the home. Part of the salt was to be sprinkled on the floor as protection from the Evil Eye. The chamber-pot filled with salt is still given as a gift by the Scottish people of the north-east of Scotland (Rorie 162).
       Children born out of wedlock were not considered bastards provided that the parents were legally wed. There is a curious marriage custom attached to this. The bride will stand with the child beside her with her apron draped over the child’s head. This represents the child not being born yet and the father accepting paternity of that child yet to be born. This custom is very old and evidently not practiced among the upper classes (Gilchrist 193). The Catholic Church frowned upon divorce, yet it was not uncommon and was available to all classes of people. Adultery was considered suitable grounds for divorce for men and women, and these proceedings were frequently held in a court room that was usually within the church.          
       Marriage customs in Egypt were not based on religion, and priests did not perform marriage ceremonies. Marriage was an agreement or a contract between two families that involved the exchange of gifts and property. Virginity was of great value, and the groom would offer a “virginity gift” to the bride in exchange for what she would lose. This did not apply to second marriages, but a gift was given for other purposes. The bride’s family also would provide additional funds occasionally to offset the expense of having a second person in the house. This amount would be based on how well the wife was treated by the husband (Marriage: Egypt 1). Once the two families reached an agreement, there would be a celebration that the new husband and wife would preside over. 
       Consanguineous marriages in ancient Egypt were popular. The greatest concentration appears to have been found in the 18th and 19th Dynasties. Most of the kings in the 18th Dynasty married their sisters. In ancient times, it was believed that keeping the royal blood pure was to be divine. There have been some cases of father-daughter marriages. There is strong evidence that Ramses II married two of his sisters and two or more of his daughters. Although there seems to be evidence of consanguineous marriages among the pharaohs, there does not appear to be as much among the commoners (Middleton 605).
       Divorce was not uncommon in Egyptian marriages. The only thing that a couple had to do to be considered divorced was to live apart. Since there were legal obligations in relation to the marriage contract, many couples chose to remain together to avoid the economic upheaval. In Egypt, a woman was allowed to choose whether or not to marry. This freedom of choice made most marriages love-matches. For men who did not marry, it was considered an enormous tragedy for him to die without ever producing children. In many other cultures of the time, women were required to marry the brother of their deceased husband. The purpose was to honor the deceased with the children he did not have in life (Dickerman 499).
       Medieval Scotland has been romanticized through books and song. However, in many ways it was a hard existence, and marriage was no exception. Surprisingly, there are many parallels between the marriage customs of Medieval Scotland and Ancient Egypt. Women were allowed some freedom of choice in their marriages although they were under their husband’s domination thereafter. Producing many children was an important aspect of marriage. The Catholic Church put great emphasis on the need to reproduce as a means of making the church more powerful. In Ancient Egypt it was equally important because it increased the strength of the nation. Arranged marriages seem to have been reserved for the upper classes and pre-nuptial agreements were shared between all classes. Consanguineous marriages were common among the Egyptian Pharaohs, and were practiced to a lesser degree by the European nobility.
       The similarities between the two cultures are interrupted by the lack of religious ceremony in Egyptian weddings. There was no church or priest conducting the ceremony. The ceremony was the marriage contract, or pre-nuptial agreement, that the two families agreed upon followed by a celebration. In Scotland it was required to obtain a marriage license or to have the banns read in church for three Sundays in a row. A church ceremony would be considered proper with a priest speaking the words of blessing over the marriage and the placement of a ring on the bride’s finger. The husband did not wear a ring.  The simplicity in marriage for the Egyptians was mirrored in their method of divorce. A couple would only need to live apart to achieve the same effect as the legal divorce proceedings that the Scottish laws required. 
       Exploring other cultures is an important part of understanding our own. As I read about the differences between Ancient Egypt and Medieval Scotland, I find myself more thankful that I was born in the Twentieth Century. I find myself drawn to the elaborate pageantry of Medieval Scotland mostly because the era has been so romanticized through music, books and movies. The reality of medieval Scotland was hardship. Although women were allowed some freedom of choice, they were still considered unequal in society. There were no rape laws in place, and men could demand their conjugal rights without fear of reprisal. There was great oppression by the Catholic Church, and guilt was their method of maintaining control over the people. To be desirable for what property women could bring to the marriage is oppressive although it is still of some importance even in modern society. Ancient Egypt was an incredibly advanced society with very simple methods of marriage. I am in awe of the beauty of their culture and their sophisticated outlook on marriage and society. Marriage customs share many diverse methods, but the basic outcome is still the same. To compare the traditions of Medieval Scotland and Ancient Egyptian marriage practices is like comparing plaid and Egyptian cotton. Both are intricately woven structures that create the fabric that holds society together. As civilization progresses, those traditions will continue to evolve, and our descendants will look back on our ancient methods and marvel at our diverse beliefs.
 
 
Works Cited
Dickerman, Lysander. “The Condition of Women in Ancient Egypt.” Journal of the American Geographical Society of New York Vol. 26,
            No. 4. (1894). 494-527. JStor. 16 Feb 2008. <http://links.jstor.org/sici=1536-0407%281894%2926%3A1%3C494%3ATCOWIA%
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Gilchrist, A. G. “A Curious Scottish Marriage Custom.” Folklore, Vol. 49, No. 2. (1938). 192- 93. JStor. 14 Feb 2008.
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Hartland, E. Sidney. “Marriage Superstitions.” Folklore, Vol. 8, No. 1. (1897). 92. JStor. 14 Feb 2008.
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“Marriage: Egypt.” The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Daily Life, Vol. 1, The Ancient World Daily Life Online. 2006 Greenwood Publishing
            Group. 15 Feb. 2008 <http://dailylife. Greenwood.com>.
“Marriage: Europe.” The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Daily Life, Volume 2, The Medieval World, Daily Life Online. 2006 Greenwood
            Publishing Group. 15 Feb. 2008 <http://dailyLife.Greenwood.com>.
 Middleton, Russell. “Brother-Sister and Father-Daughter Marriage in Ancient Egypt.” American Sociological Review, Vol. 27, No. 5.
            (1962). 603-611. JStor. 14 Feb 2008. <http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=00003-1224%28196210%2927%3A5%3C6033ABAFMIA%
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Rorie, David. “Chamber-Pots Filled with Salt as Marriage Gifts.” Folklore, Vol.45, No. 2. (1934). 162-163. JStor. 14 Feb 2008.
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