Ancient Egyptian Women had more rights than many women today

[bleedingheart]

After my recent trip to the Tut exhibit in Chicago, I was re-reading over some books that I had regarding ancient Egypt and to this day I find it stunning that the Egyptians were so ahead of their time in regard to women's rights.

The Romans and Greeks get credit for a great deal and yet they had no respect for women...the Greeks were the worst in many regards.

One has to wonder....what is wrong with humanity that women have for centuries been treated like pets, breed animals or worse.

[bloom]

1. "what is wrong with humanity"

It is ridiculous that essentially misogyny has been glorified as advancements in civilization.

I remember thinking when I was about 14 - what is up with what is taught in history class? War is glorified. Almost everything else is(was) ignored.

[bleedingheart]

4. no joke...misogyny is glorified or justified as a way of "honoring"

women...

I know what you mean about war being the main focus of most historical discussions...we teach war and then wonder why future generations have a bloodlust because of it...

[CornField]

2. Don't want to sidetrack your thread... but....

How was the Egyptian exhibit at the Field? I've been debating a road trip because I've always been fascinated with that culture, but I'm curious as to if it will hold the attention of my two younger children (ages 6 and 4). Any insights?

[bleedingheart]

3. it was amazing

first...I don't want to get your hopes up about seeing his solid gold mask....that and the most famous pieces are in Cairo.

HOWEVER....his grandmother Thuya's (Queen Tiye's mother ..she was the wife of Amenhotep III) sarcophagus is there...and it is stunning and definitely worth the trip....

In addition to the jewelry, the canopic jars and furniture...some of which is just exquisite.

My 10 year old son and 7 year old daughter loved it.

I won't lie...if you read or take the audio tour...you will be in there for at the very least 40 minutes...if not longer...without any access to a bathroom (security risk)...

I loved loved loved it...but I am just crazy about all history especially Egypt...

To see his actual crook and flail...and the one shrine of wood covered in gold with the most beautiful artwork...it would leave you stunned.

for kids who have an interest in these kinds of things and who have a decent attention span ..i would say it would be worth it. There were folks with toddlers...but they went through rather quickly....
My son and I actually stopped and read all the information at each station...so we are pretty geeky.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

6. I saw the King Tut exhibit in New York in the 1970s

What I remember most is how NEW everything looked, including the wooden furniture.

It really gave me a feeling for what the living culture must have been like.

[geniph]

5. In my opinion, 90% of the source of misogyny

is men's insecurity about who fathers their offspring. Cultures that don't really have patriarchal inheritance don't worry so much about it, so it is not necessary to make women property, keep them in seclusion, and otherwise prevent them from being equal societal partners who might - gasp! - take other sexual partners. It all comes down to fear of not passing on one's own genetic material - because men cannot themselves create life, they can never be sure of the parentage of their offspring unless they keep their women away from all other fertile males.

Where inheritance is determined by something other than patriarchy, the whole issue of who fathered a particular child becomes of less importance, and isolating women and otherwise oppressing them becomes less of a priority.

I wonder if Egyptians used something other than strict patriarchal inheritance, perhaps group marriage, or inheritance from the higher-status parent, or something?