Marriage traditions and the stem family in ancient Egypt: a study of marriage contracts, social structure and family life

Author(s):
Gompel, S.M.T. van
Published
2025
Publication type
Doctoral Thesis

Abstract

Research into the nature and use of ancient Egyptian marriage contracts written on papyus from a legal, social and socioeconomic view, as well as into the structure and ideology of the dominant ancient Egyptian family system and its marriage, inheritance and household formation practices, using the comparative ‘family system’ method pioneered in the field of Historical Demography.

Vol. 1. Tables 1-6. Formats and legal clauses of marriage documents. Chapter 1. Aims, method and state of research. Chapter 2. The Egyptian marriage documents. Excursus A: Matters of sanx. Chapter 3. Egyptian marriage and family system at the end of the first millennium BCE. Chapter 4. Marriage, family and households before and after: the Egyptian family system in earlier Pharaonic and Roman Egypt. Excursus B. Sibling marriages in the Roman census. Chapter 5. Conclusion.

Vol. 2. A database of Egyptian marriage contracts in transliteration and English translation, with limited notes.

DemoticMarriage contractsInheritancePtolemaicHouseholdsSocial lifeFamily systemPapyrologyEgyptologyHistorical Demography
Defense date
2025-06-11
Language
English
Supervisor(s)
Kaper, O.E.
Advisor(s)
Donker van Heel, K.
Committee member(s)
Johnson, J.H.; Waerzeggers, C.; Vandorpe, K.; Haring, B.J.J.; Müller, M.
Qualification
Ph.D.
Degree granting institution
Leiden University Institute for Area Studies (LIAS), Faculty of Humanities, Leiden University, Leiden
hdl
1887/4249984

Funding

Sponsorship
The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), in the program Promoties in the Geesteswetenschappen