These documents are not marriage contracts ( for which, see AET_6.2 ); they make no mention of key words such as 'wife'. Rather, they are contracts to ensure that the man provides ongoing maintenance for the woman, even in situations such as divorce. For an analysis of this type of Demotic document, see I. Kato, "Demotic Matrimonial Property Contracts Recorded in the sʿnḫ-documents" ( PDF ).
In a Greek petition of the 2nd century B.C. ( SelPap 2.271 ), a woman called Senesis complained that her husband was deliberately failing to maintain her, and she cited an agreement - an 'Egyptian alimentary silver contract' - very similar to the ones below.
[A] P. Carlsberg 34 = P. dem. Hawara 1 [ TM 41380 ] ; → Hawara ( 239 B.C. )
Regnal year 8, in the first month of the winter season {Tybi}, of Pharaoh Ptolemy the ever-living, son of Ptolemy and Arsinoe, the brother-loving, the Sibling Gods; when the priest of Alexander and the Sibling Gods and of the Beneficent Gods is Onomastos son of Pyrgon, while Archestrate daughter of Ktesikles is basket-bearer {kanephoros} of gold before Arsinoe the brother-loving. Thus said the God's Seal-bearer and Embalmer ʿNh-Mr-ʿwrȝ, son of Pȝ-tj-nȝ-ntr.w, his mother being Ta-Rnn.t, to the lady Hr-ʿnh, daughter of the God's Seal-bearer and Embalmer Mȝʿ-Rʿ, her mother being Nb.t-tȝ-hj (?) :
You gave me 10 pieces of silver from the pieces of the treasury of Ptah poured out in full, makes 9 pieces of silver and 9 2/3 1/6 1/10 1/30 1/60 1/60 Kite, makes 10 pieces of silver from the 10 pieces of the treasury of Ptah poured out in full, again, as your endowment. I have to give you: 36 measures of emmer each 40 hins, makes 24 measures of barley each 40 hins, makes 36 measures of emmer each 40 hins again and 1 piece of silver and 2 kiti of the pieces of the treasury of Ptah poured out in full, makes 1 piece of silver and 1 2/3 1/6 1/10 1/30 1/60 1/60 kiti, makes 1 piece of silver and 2 kiti from the pieces of the treasury of the Ptah poured out in full again, for your food and clothing annually in the place where you wish. It is you who have authority over the remainder of your food and clothing, which will be my responsibility, and I will give it to you. Anything and everything that belongs to me at present and that I will yet acquire is the pledge of your above endowment. If you are required to swear an oath to me, you will swear it to me in the place where the judges are. The above contact I will perform for you because you are entitled to claim from me as to the obligations of all the contracts that I previously made with you, and I will perform my obligations to you, just as you also perform the obligations of the above contact."
Then said the lady Tj-ir=w, daughter of the God's Seal-bearer and Embalmer Pȝ-tj-Wsir, her mother being Tȝ-nfr-rnp.t: "[Write] and do all the above things. [My heart] is content with that."
She went on to say: "I confirm this above consent because I am entitled to claim from the God's Seal-bearer and Embalmer ʿNh-Mr-wr, son of Pȝ-tj-nȝ-ntr.w, his mother being Ta-Rnn.t, in respect of the obligations of all contracts which he has made out for me. He has to perform these obligations for me, and I will perform the obligations of the above consent".
Written by Hnȝ, son of Pȝ-tj-Hr-pȝ-tj-ʿIs.t.
{ in Greek: }
In year 8 on the 19th of Tybi, the contract was placed in the archive chest in Krokodilopolis in Arsinoites by Epiphanes, the subordinate of Rhodokles.
In year 8 on the 19th of Tybi, the contract was placed in the archive chest in the presence of Dionysios, the subordinate of Boethos.
[B] P. Carlsberg 35 = P. dem. Hawara 2 [ TM 41381 ] ; → Hawara ( 235 B.C. )
Regnal Year 12, in month 4 of the Summer Season {Mesore} - the Five Feast Days, Day of the "Birth of Osiris" - of Pharaoh Ptolemy, the Ever-Living, son of Ptolemy and Arsinoe, the Brother-Loving, the Sibling Gods, when the Priest of Alexander and [the] Sibling Gods and of the Beneficent Gods is Sosibios, son of Dioskorides, while Berenice the daughter of Neoptolemus is bearer of gold {kanephoros} before Arsinoe, the brother-lover. Thus said the God's Seal-bearer and Embalmer Sbk-htp, son of ʿNh-Hp, his mother being ʿIhj-htp (?), to the lady Nȝ-nfr-Sbk, daughter of God's Seal-bearer and Embalmer S-wsr, called Gḏwȝ, her mother being Tȝ-dj-Wsir:
You have satisfied my heart with 21 pieces of silver from the pieces of the treasury of Ptah, poured out in full, makes pieces of silver and 9 2/3 1/6 1/10 1/30 1/60 1/60 kiti, makes 21 pieces of silver from the pieces of the treasury of Ptah poured out in full, again, as your endowment. Everything and everything that belongs to me currently and that I will yet acquire belongs to the children that you will bear for me: houses, fields, yards, property, slaves, female slaves, cattle, donkeys, every small livestock, every service, every deed, every writ, every thing of any free man in the world of mine. I have to give to you: 72 measures of emmer each 40 hins, makes 48 measures of barley each 40 hins, makes 72 measures of emmer each 40 hins, again and 2 pieces of silver and 4 kiti of the pieces of the treasury of Ptah, poured out in full, makes 2 pieces of silver and 3 2/3 1/6 1/10 1/30 1/60 1/60 kiti, makes 2 pieces of silver and 4 kiti from the pieces of the treasury of Ptah poured out in full again, as your food and clothing yearly in the place where you desire it. It is you who are in authority as to the remainder of your food and clothing, which will be my responsibility, and I will give it to you. Anything and everything that belongs to me currently and that I will yet acquire is the pledge of your above endowment. I will not be able to say to you: "Take your above endowment". On the day that you desire it, I will give it to you. If you are required to make an oath [to me], you will make it for me in the place where the judges reside.
Written by Hn, son of Pȝ-tj-Hr-pȝ-tj-ʿIs.t.
Reign Year 12, which makes Reign Year 13, Month 4 of the Summer Season {Mesore} - the Five Feast Days, Day of the "Birth of Osiris". The contract was deposited in the archive chest at Hawara by Hn, the son of Pa-n-ʿIs.t, the tax collector.
{ in Greek: }
In year 13 on the 30th Thoth, the contract was deposited in the archive chest in the Labyrinth in the Heracleides district by Dionysios, also called Dorion, the subordinate of Moschion; a maintenance contract of 400 drachmas, which Sochotes son of Achoapis, gave to Nephersuchis daughter of Kasus, through Hanos her guardian.
[C] Paris Bib.Nat. 224 = P. Eheverträge 10D [ TM 3529 ] ; → Memphis ( 68 B.C. )
Regnal year 13, month 4 of the shemu season { Mesore }, day 20, of pharaoh Ptolemy, the God who loves his father and brother, and at the time of the priests of the pharaohs, who are enrolled in Rakote. Thus said the keeper of the god's seal, Hry=w, son of Pȝ-dỉ-ỉs.t whose mother is Ta-wȝ, to the woman Tȝ-šr.t-n-ỉmn, daughter of Pȝ-dỉ-Wsỉr, whose mother is Ta-wȝ:
You have caused my heart to be satisfied with 21 pieces of silver from the treasury of Ptah, measured in full, which amounts to 20 pieces of silver and 9 + ⅔ + ⅙ + ⅒ + 1⁄30 + 1⁄60 + 1⁄60 kite, which amounts to 21 pieces of silver from the treasury of Ptah, measured in full again, as your endowment.
The keeper of the god's seal, Pa-tj-is, son of Hry=w, my eldest son, your eldest son, and Pa-tj-weir, of the same occupation, son of Hry=w, my son, your son, which makes two persons: my children, your children whom you have borne to me, and any male children whom you may bear to me in future, are the masters of all that belongs to me and that which I will acquire.
And I shall give you 36 measures of emmer, each 40 hins, which makes 24 measures of barley, each 40 hins, which makes 36 measures of emmer, each 40 hins again, and 2 silver pieces 4 kite from the treasury of Ptah, measured in full, which is 2 silver pieces and 3 + ⅔ + ⅙ + ⅒ + 1⁄30 + 1⁄60 + 1⁄60 kite, which makes 2 silver pieces 4 kite from the treasury of Ptah, measured in full again, for your food and clothing and subsistence money each year in whichever house you choose.
That is what is agreed regarding the payment for your food and clothing and subsistence money, which will be at my expense. And I will give it to you. Everything that belongs to me, and everything that I will acquire in future, is the pledge of the endowment, which is written above. I shall not be able to say to you: "Receive your endowment, which is written above," but at the time appointed by you, I will give it to you. I shall not be able to make an oath behind you except in the house where the judges are.
Written by Nḫṱ=w, son of Pȝ-dỉ-Wsỉr.
{ in Greek: } Theon. The above document was registered at the record-office in the Anubieion near Memphis, in regnal year 13, on the 20th of Mesore.
{ Demotic signature: } This is what Hry=w, son of Pȝ-dỉ-ỉs.t, wrote in his own hand.
[D] Cairo CG 30616 = P. Eheverträge 9D [ TM 43284 ] ; → Tebtunis ( 49 B.C. )
{ The date shown here is that suggested by M. Chauveau; E. Lüddeckens assigned it to the reign of Ptolemy XII, in which case the date would be 78 B.C. See C. Bennett's note on Arsinoe IV. }
Regnal year 3, month 3 of the peret season { Phamenoth }, day 13, of pharaoh Ptolemy and pharaoh Cleopatra, the father-loving gods, and at the time of the priest of Alexander, and those others who are enrolled in Rakote. Thus said the overseer of the canals and servant of Suchos Sbk-m-ḥb, son of Sbk-pȝ-tj-llw (?), his mother is Ta-tȝj-j-qt, to the lady Nȝ-nfr-ḥr, daughter of Pḥj-šj, her mother is Tȝ-rnw.t:
You have caused my heart to be satisfied with 21 pieces of silver from the pieces of the treasury of Ptah, measured in full, makes 20 pieces of silver and 9 + ⅔ + ⅙ + ⅒ + 1⁄30 + 1⁄60 + 1⁄60 kite, makes 21 pieces of silver from the pieces of the treasury of Ptah, measured in full, again, as your endowment.
And any children whom you bear to me shall be masters [of(?)] . . . . from the money of your endowment at any time in the temple and in the territory of the city of Suchos, the lord of Tebtynis, and here is a list: gifts, bread, goods, revenues, offerings, everything and anything that is given out at any time in the temple and territory, the city, the river, the mainland, and every place in the world . . .
And I shall give you 72 measures of emmer, each 40 hins, which makes 48 measures of barley, each 40 hins, which makes 72 measures of emmer, each 40 hins again; and 2 silver pieces 4 kite of the pieces of the treasury of Ptah, measured in full, which makes 2 silver pieces and 3 + ⅔ + ⅙ + ⅒ + 1⁄30 + 1⁄60 + 1⁄60 kite, which makes 2 silver pieces 4 kite of the pieces of the treasury of Ptah, measured in full, again, for your food and clothing annually in whichever house you choose.
That is what is agreed regarding the obligation to provide for your food and clothing, which will be at my expense. And I shall give it to you. Everything and everything that belongs to me, and that I will acquire, is the pledge of your endowment, which is written above. I shall not be able to say: "receive your endowment, which is written above," but at the time appointed by you, I will give it to you on that day. If you are required to swear an oath to me, you will swear it to me in the house where the judges are.
Then the woman Ta-tȝj-j-qt, daughter of Sbk-m-ḥb, whose mother is Ḥr-ʿnḥ, his eldest daughter, was present and said: Write down and do all the words which are written above. My heart is content with them. If I do the summoning which is written above, then no claim in the world shall belong to me . . . which belongs to me in the temple.
Written by Ḥr-mȝj-ḥs, son of Ḥr-wḏʿ.
{ in Greek: } In regnal year 3, on the 15th of Phamenoth. The above document has been registered.
{ on the back: } Names of 9 witnesses.
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