The Historical Child: Paidology; The Science of the Child — John Shaqi
The Historical Child: Paidology; The Science of the ChildChrisman, Oscar
History
The Historical Child: Paidology; The Science of the Child
Chrisman, Oscar
Children; Manners and customs
=Child and Parent.= The Egyptians were very fond of their children. Even
the most consequential pontiff did not affect indifference toward them.
They cared for the children and did not permit the father to have any
right over the life of his offspring. The punishment for child-murder
was very severe. They did not take the life of the offender, but gave to
him a punishment which would well portray to him the heinousness of the
crime. In the case of the killing of a child, it was ordered that the
corpse of the child be fastened to the neck of the parent offending, and
for three entire days and nights was the embrace of the dead child to
continue, under the watchful eyes of a public guard. The murder of a
parent was considered the most wicked of all crimes. In this case the
criminal was sentenced to be lacerated with sharpened reeds and after
being thrown on thorns he was burnt to death. In case a pregnant woman
was sentenced to death, the punishment did not take place till after the
birth of the child, both because they thought it wrong to take the life
of an innocent being and also they did not wish to deprive the father of
the child, which might become his support in later life.
Children were taught to pay great respect to old age. The children's
greatest duty was respect for and care of parents. This was just as
binding among the upper classes as with the lower. This was carried up
even to the very highest, as the sons of the king acted as fan-bearers
to him, and they also walked on foot behind his chariot in triumphal
processions.
=Dress.= The lower orders of the Egyptian people dressed in a very
simple manner. The men wore a sort of apron, or kilt, held at the waist
by a girdle or sash, or else short drawers, extending half way to the
knees. Sometimes the apron was simply bound round the loins and lapped
over in front. When at heavy labor the men would even wear less
clothing, as they would use the girdle about the body at the waist and
fasten to it in front a roll of linen and pass this between the legs and
fasten it to the girdle at the back. The men of the higher orders used
the apron also and wore over it a dress which extended to the ankles and
had large sleeves. Sometimes this dress was fringed on the border around
the legs. Over this for cool weather they wore a woolen cloak. Sometimes
they wore over the apron a skirt with short sleeves and over this a
loose robe with the right arm left exposed. As a distinguishing mark,
the princes wore a peculiar badge at the side of the head, which
descended to the shoulders and was frequently adorned and terminated
with a gold fringe.
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