Aneitra Bricest (M3)

Essay





The Hattis/ Hittites treated the women based on their religion and beliefs. They believed in
magic, such as witchcraft and rituals which caused them to treat the women according to these
things and setting rules that fit and obeyed their religion. The women got treated very unfairly
but also had many advantages as the man did when it came to their marriage and children.

The women in Hatti were called Munus and they were highly respect just for the simple
fact that they bare the children of the civilization. They feel without the women there would be
no reproducing, which is true so they honor and respect the woman for that advantage. This
ability only puts more pressure on the women for when rough times happen, such as diseases
starts to spread and people start dying, they look to the women to start reproducing to protect
their kind.

Reproducing played a big role in a woman's life. If a women was to have a miscarriage she
would be punished with 20 shekels of silver but if she was a slave than 10 shekels of silver.
Every women must experience a reproductive process for if they didnt they believed their gods
would be upset and punish the family. If a women couldnt reproduce than her and her husband
would hire a lady to perform a fertility ritual; they called this woman a Wise Women. Unlike
today women carried their babies for 10 months before birth. When a women did give birth they

had an ritual said during and after the birth to bless the mother and child in their future together.
Most rich or very wealthy people had this done.


Before any women could have a child they first had to be married. They believed once a girl
hit puberty she was ready for marriage. A women didnt have a say so in who she married but
both her mother and father did and if the husband couldnt pay bribe payments to the family,
than no marriage would be planned. Once the man paid bride fees theres three stages to a
marriage. One is a early promise before proposal, two, payment to the family, than three the
wedding. When getting married they have a vase which symbolize a royal or special wedding,
often times only wealthy people would have these, while average people would have just an
regular vase or one more affordable. The woman has a choice whether she wants to continue
living in her parents house, or leave with her husband to build her own.

Everyone women abided by the sames rules but in different ways. For example the royal
daughters were used for a trade to seal a treaty with another foreign country. The daughter would
have to marry whoever her father traded her in with and she had to obey, for royal daughters
were set to be obedient and beautiful. So this is why the kings could have as many daughters as
he pleased, so he could use them as a diplomatic tools with other rulers of foreign states. As for
King Hattusa and Queen Puduhepa used their daughter to seal a treaty with Egypt; she married
Ramses II.

 If a women was set to be a free born, then automatically she had to marry a slaved man. If the
slave man failed to pay bride fees, than the woman would have to work as a slave for 3 years
until the fees are paid off. If the slave did pay his fees than the woman could keep her title of
being a free born. When they divorced since the male was a slave, all things were split equally
among the divorced couple.

If a women was happily married than she also still have some rules to follow. If her husband
passed away she would than become his brothers wife, if the brother passed she became the
fathers wife. She was set not to reproduce or have sexual contacts for they believed it was insest.

A women has an equally say so in her marriage and children. If a women decides to divorce
she may. Once divorce was set out the women had an option of being sold to another man for 12
shekels of silver, or freely leaving set out to find another husband. When a women became
divorced and single the royal household would donate land to the single woman. But also if a
women was set off to be single than she would eventually be punished for being single for too
long.

Once the women becomes a wife she has to cover her body with long clothing, covering her
from head to toe. Even in the house the woman still covers her body but not as heavily. Both
men and women wear jewelry but the woman wears more, for she wears earrings, necklaces,
bracelets, and rings. They wear these to show ritualistic or protective in function.

 The Hattis/ Hittites believed in more than one god. They practice rituals and witchcraft often
especially when giving birth. They believe if they dont please their gods than they will struggle
with growing crops and reproducing children, so they treat the women accordingly to theses
beliefs to please their gods; mainly Mother Goddess. They believed in gods of nature like a sun
god, water god, etc. They worshipped in what they call temples occasionally. They believed
rituals was words of praise and prayers to the gods, so that is why they practice them constantly
and in many occasions . They Hattie's were scared to dishonor they gods for if they did they
would be punished , so they lived by laws and treated the women by what they believed; even if
matters were harsh, to maintain a nice life, growing crops, and a reproductive system.




Cite sources: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hittie_mythology
The_Lives_of_Hitties_Women_in_the_Late_B essay written by Debbie Turkilsen - student at
University of New England.