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Ancient Egyptian Women Had Eight-Foot Long Prenups

A stunning 2,480-year-old, eight-foot long scroll on display at the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago is a legal, marital document—a prenup, in fact. However, unlike the comparable prenups of today, “they were purely economic, promising not eternal faithfulness or mutual responsibility but cold, hard cash.” Unbeknownst to many, Ancient Egyptian women actually had the same legal rights as men, says Dr Emily Teeter, an Egyptologist at the Institute. They could sue (and be sued), serve on juries, file for divorce and more. Read the full, fascinating story on Atlas Obscura.

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