Mexican archæology : $b an introduction to the archæology of the Mexican and Mayan civilizations of pre-Spanish AmericaJoyce, Thomas Athol
History
Mexican archæology : $b an introduction to the archæology of the Mexican and Mayan civilizations of pre-Spanish America
Joyce, Thomas Athol
Mayas -- Antiquities; Mexico -- Antiquities
Mexicans were greatly addicted to moral discourses, as may be seen from
the work of Sahagun, whole pages of which are devoted to the quotation
in full of the orations appropriate to particular occasions of public
and private interest. Boys as a rule followed the profession of their
father, while girls received a thorough training in the domestic arts,
such as spinning and weaving and the preparation of food. The part
played by the institutions Calmecac and Telpochcalli in the education
of the young has already been mentioned.
Marriage took place at about the age of twenty in the case of men,
girls being a trifle younger. Inter-marriage was allowed between
cousins, but forbidden in the case of nearer relatives. The service
of female go-betweens was employed by the parents of the man, and it
was not considered consonant with a proper dignity for the woman’s
family to show too much haste in consenting to the match. On the
appointed day, selected owing to the auspicious nature of its sign, the
go-between carried the bride to the house of the bridegroom, where,
after offering incense, the two were seated side by side on a mat, and
their garments knotted by a priest. The inevitable homily followed, and
then a feast, and the couple observed a fast for four or more days, at
the end of which the marriage might be consummated. In some cases a
couple might live in concubinage by consent of their parents, and in
the event of a child being born, either a marriage was celebrated or
the woman returned to the house of her parents with the infant, which
was regarded as belonging to her family. Otherwise children belonged to
the man and inherited from him, those of the chief wife (for polygamy,
limited by the man’s means, was practised) having precedence. It was
usual for the eldest son in these cases to make some provision for his
brothers and their families. When a man married he left the educational
establishment where he formerly lived, after asking permission of
his superiors and making certain gifts. As a rule widows could not
remarry, except with a brother-in-law; divorce was possible with the
consent of a magistrate, and the couple could under no circumstances be
reunited. Among the Otomi divorce was allowed after the first night of
married life, but not later. The Chichimec practised monogamy, and no
intermarriage could take place between individuals who were related.
Among the Tarascans however, especially those of rank, different ideas
prevailed, and endogamy was the rule. Even among commoners, if a girl
had given herself to a man against the will of her parents, the union
was regarded as legal only if he belonged to the same ward as herself.
In normal cases the girl was simply handed over to her suitor by the
priest, together with the gift of a wood-cutting axe and the necessary
mats and cord for wood-carrying, and a feast followed. The difference
between the marriage rules of the Tarascans and Aztec seems accompanied
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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