The newlyweds will then drink a traditional sweet drink made from fruit and herbs, which is known as Sharbat. One ancient name for it was nuheh, but it was also called the shenu, which meant round, hence everlasting or unending, and became the form of the royal cartouches. Egyptian tradition states that for one whole week after the wedding ceremony, the bride's mother will cook all the meals for the newlyweds. There were no taboos concerning sex and no stigma attached to any aspect of it except for infidelity, and, among the lower classes, incest. The History of Wedding Rings & How They Changed Over Time Wedding rings 5. 10 Funny and Fascinating Wedding Rituals from Ancient History Men had the majority of the wealth in ancient Egypt, except for women who had inherited wealth, and the man usually paid spousal support to the wife, whether the couple had children or not. The Origin of Wedding Rings: Ancient Tradition or Marketing Invention? Egyptian wedding ceremony 7. Since the average lifespan was about 30 years, these ages probably did not seem as young to the Egyptians as they do today. Brides wear modest dresses which cover their bodies along with a veil. Some couples may also choose to perform a unity ceremony, such as lighting a candle or pouring sand into a jar together; these symbolic gestures represent two lives becoming one in marriage. Incest was frowned upon except for royalty, who could marry their siblings, and marriages were expected to be monogamous, except for royalty. Egyptian couples typically have an elaborate, multi-layered wedding cake, and the custom is to cut and feed it to each other. Marriage in Ancient Egypt: Egyptian Family System The glance of her eye is gorgeous. While this is true, there are records of government officials intervening in cases and ordering a woman put to death for adultery when the husband brought the case to the attention of authorities. Anything she had entered the marriage with she was allowed to take with her when it ended. Egyptian wedding traditions reflect the importance of religion and family in Egyptian society. The exception to this was in the instance of the wife's infidelity. It involves elaborate decor, entertainment and even a feast where the shabka is presented. Another way such conflicts could be resolved was to wipe all memory of the person from existence. Once a person's name and image were lost their soul was diminished and they might not be able to continue in the Field of Reeds. It also specified what would be paid to the wife in the event the husband divorced her. Our latest articles delivered to your inbox, once a week: Our mission is to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide.