Wedding Traditions 5. Polygamy and even adultery were acceptable for men, and, ironically, women were treated respectfully. Here are 10 fascinating wedding rituals from ancient history that can leave you speechless - and glad you got married in the 21st century! This is more prevalent in rural areas. The duty of woman in marriage was also to take care of children and the home. 16 Wedding Traditions and Their Origins - Personal Creations Blog The works also include frustrated pleas from widowers imploring their departed wives to stop tormenting them from beyond the grave. Here is a complete list of Egyptian wedding traditions. Ramses II had eight royal wives, but Nefertari appears to have been his favorite and remained his Great Royal Wife. The bride is often adorned in a beautiful pink dress, made of cotton or silk, and there is much singing and dancing throughout the night. Henna is considered propitious in Islam. The prospect of reuniting with one's spouse in the afterlife was thought to ease the pain of his or her passing. Then, the procession commences once again. Sharbat, a traditional wedding drink made of fruits and herbs, is also consumed throughout the ceremony. In the case of divorce, the dowry provided by the groom at the time of marriage reverted to the wife for her support or a single payment was given to her" (156). Reception Traditions in Egypt are an important part of the wedding day. This was done by destroying any images one had of them. Submitted by Joshua J. Post-wedding traditions in Egypt are a unique and important part of the wedding celebration. Once done, the shaykh removes the cloth, and the couple recites some words after the Maazoun. Grooms wear a custom robe for the ceremony. If their lives were deemed worthy, they were permitted to enter the Field of Reeds, where their earthly lives would continue on a higher plane. Off. No matter what type of ceremony you choose, embracing these Egyptian wedding traditions will ensure that your big day will be remembered. By this she means that even those possessions which the husband may have come to think of as his own were to be divided with his wife according to the original agreement. Some of King Tut's deformities were probably due to the fact that his parents were also brother and sister. Darren Puttock - Relief of Meru and his wife. The History of Wedding Rings & How They Changed Over Time 3 (Mar., 1935). They say their oaths and sign the marriage contract in front of a Maazoun a Muslim cleric which officially recognizes and registers the marriage to the government and other witnesses. Incest was frowned upon except for royalty, who could marry their siblings, and marriages were expected to be monogamous, except for royalty. (51), Tutankhamun & AnkhsenamunPataki Mrta (CC BY-NC-SA). Chastity before marriage was not considered important, the ancient Egyptians considered sexuality to be a part of life, nothing more or less. A Quick History of Wedding Rings: From Ancient Egypt to the Modern Day A Polish-US mission discovered the . Visitors often give knick-knacks or decor for the house, such as a vase or china, though chocolates are also acceptable. After the wedding is when the party truly begins. The newlyweds will then exit the venue as their guests shower them with grains, such as rice, to symbolize lifelong prosperity and fertility in their new life together. Everyone sings, dances, and eats the night away. In one case, the woman was tied to a stake outside of her home which she had been judged as defiling and burned to death. We care about our planet! Blessing ceremonies are usually performed by religious leaders or elders who offer prayers for health, wealth, happiness, and prosperity for newlyweds throughout their marriage life together. Recently research about the death of Tutankhamun also suggest that he was born from incestuous marriage. When a couple decided to marry, or their parents decided for them, the bride gathered her belongings and moved them into the groom's house, whereupon they were considered to be married. Tutankhamun died around the age of 18 and Ankhsenamun disappears from the historical record shortly afterwards. This is reflected in the Zaffa, the kosha, and the tradition wherein the grooms mother-in-law cooks all of their meals for a week. The tradition of a wedding cake comes from ancient Rome, where revelers broke a loaf of bread over a bride's head for fertility's sake. After the wedding comes the celebrations, which involve delicious food. The bride is often adorned in a beautiful pink dress, made of cotton or silk, and there is much singing and dancing throughout the night. 52 Wedding Traditions & Superstitions You Need to Know - The Knot The wedding dress of George IV's heir Princess Charlotte of Wales is on show at Buckingham Palace. Women usually married at the age of about 13 years, or immediately after the puberty. Ramses II and Nefertari appeared to have a happy and long-lasting marriage. Although royals were free to marry whomever they chose (following the example of the sister-brother marriage of deities such as Isis and Osiris or Nut and Geb) the common people were encouraged to marry outside of their bloodlines except in the case of cousins. Wedding Frontier Wedding Planning Egyptian Wedding Traditions: Everything You Need to Know. Still, many Egyptian couples seem to have enjoyed positive, loving relationships. Husbands and wives couldn't be related closer than distant cousins. Ramses II, known today as Ramses the Great, and first his wife, Nefertari, known today as the Great Royal Wife of Ramses II, were married during the first year of his reign. Egyptian tradition states that for one whole week after the wedding ceremony, the bride's mother will cook all the meals for the newlyweds. These trendy outfit changes are just as good as the original gowns. b='info' As another part of this wedding march, the father of the bride will ceremonially present the bride to the groom. Other customs include exchanging gifts between families after the ceremony, blessing ceremonies for the couple, and honeymoon rituals that involve traveling to different places around Egypt or abroad. Another way such conflicts could be resolved was to wipe all memory of the person from existence. There was no official sanction against a woman engaging in extra-marital intercourse. MCAD Library - Pharaoh Menkaure and his wife. Egyptian wedding traditions can be grouped according to the time they are observed: before the wedding, during the ceremony, and after the wedding. Except for the very poor, a marriage in ancient Egypt usually had a contract or agreement that was similar to a modern prenuptial agreement. Egyptian Wedding Traditions. For only $5 per month you can become a member and support our mission to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide.