Tibetan marriage

In the ancient and medieval Tibet, there were three forms of marriage: Monogamia, when one husband had one wife (especially characteristic of AMDO); Polygamy when one husband had several wives (characteristic of rich families), in antiquity there was a custom to take in his wife and sisters of his wife. Especially after the death of his wife, and in addition, they took several wives from different clans on political, and sometimes and cultual reasons; And finally, Polyandria, when one wife had several husbands at the same time. Polyandria is also known for farmers, and in nomads throughout Tibet, except AMDO. Usually most often there was a fraternal polyandria, when several brothers had one wife. In such cases, the wife performed his marital duties with each of the brothers in turn, which was very strict. One of the brothers exhibited his shoes at the door of the bedroom so that other brothers could know that he was at the moment he was with his wife. But one woman could be a wife of several men to those who were. It was possible when a woman, being a wife of one man, sought his permission to be his wife and others, or when several friends declared themselves – brothers tanted by an oath, and took themselves one wife. When one wife was taken by brothers, then only the older brother chose a woman and only once the marriage rite was pretended, and the rest of the brothers only actually became husbands of his wife’s senior brother and formed a group that the elder brother represented. It is important to note that children from such a marriage were not considered common, but only the older brother, which one was considered as their genuine father. Only the older brother had the right to divorce with his wife, although for this, the consent of all brothers was required. Any younger brother could take his wife if he stood out of his family from his land, home and wife. In this case, he lost right to his wife’s senior brother and the property of his former family. Sometimes the youngest of the brothers could have a wife on the side, the so-called secret wife. This wife stood outside the family of her husband and, even if she had children, did not receive any help. Earth and property owned family. The group of brothers shared one wife, house, land, but their collective property was as it were concentrated in the identity of the older brother. All property of any Tibetan family was inseparable its property presented in any form of marriage her head.

Another form of polyandria is known, when a surveillance man was joined to several brothers with their consent and with the consent of their wife. It was done in cases where there were no children in the family and with such a measure the family hoped to receive the heir. If the child was born, he was considered a child of an older brother. If married sons and nephews with parents and uncle lived in a large undivided family, then there were cases when uncle or her husband had right to his wife. In higher circles, admit as a general rule, marital rights of the Father.