WOMEN UNDER POLYGAMY
land. He was not entirely opposed to the higher education of Persian women.
This observant traveller gives us an instructive picture of life among the Bakhtiari tribe of Persia, who are in many respects primitive in their customs. One of the men remarked that "women have no religion, for women won't live again." This belief is contrary to the teaching of the Koran. Polygamy prevails among these people, and Miss Bird regards the institution as degrading to women.
The harem system in Persia was probably adopted in ancient times through the example of Egypt. Herbert Spencer, in "Sociology," holds this view, and says that the sovereigns had three or four wives and a number of concubines. The favourite legal wife was the queen. Letourneau, quoting from the sacred Avesta, states that before the Egyptian influence the Persians had a very severe code of sexual morality. The laws regulating the relations of the sexes were, indeed, more strict than those in England at the present day. Resorting to courtesans was punishable, and seduction, sexual excesses, and procuring abortion were penal offences. Polygamy was not permitted. It was not even recognised. Marriage seems to have been rigidly monogamous, except when the first wife was infertile.
Quite probably plural marriage is still comparatively uncommon in Persia through the survival of ancient
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