1889.] old [Brinton. 



Cfired for in the most attentive manner, her image was carved 

 with his on their common tomb, and there are a thousand evi- 

 dences that she was not merely the idol, but the honored help- 

 mate of the man. It was from this Etruscan example thtit early 

 Rome drew the principle of monogamy and of the substantial 

 independence of woman ; and whatever we have of thit noble 

 element in modern life, it is a legacy through Rome from ancient 

 Etruria. 



This was decidedly neither a Hellenic nor an eastern princi- 

 ple, but we do find it from the earliest times among the Berbers. 

 Even in spite of the polygamous doctrines of Mohammedan- 

 ism the woman still retains her position in Kabyle life as the 

 companion and helpmeet of man. Their Kanoan^ or ancient 

 code of laws, often in conflict with the Koran, and always re- 

 spected in preference to it, protects her autonomy in a variety of 

 ways,* and the independence of her position has been a frequent 

 theme of comment with travelers. 



Another marked and peculiar element in Etruscan life was the 

 recognition of the principle of confederation in politics. Their 

 league of twelve independent cities was the first of its kind in 

 the ancient world. Canon Rawlinson forcibly points out how far 

 it was sui)erior to the temporary and unstable alliances of the 

 Greeks.f In this lay the secret of the rapid and great success 

 of Etruria. 



Here again is a singular identity with North Libyan govern- 

 mental features. The very word Kabyle — the Arabic q^bail — 

 means " confederation," and refers to their ancient s^^stem of a 

 political union of thoroughl}^ independent communities. Nor is 

 this a recent growth. The name by which the Kabyles were 

 known to the Latin writers was Quinqvegente^, " the Five Na- 

 tions," referring to the coalition which then as now existed among 

 them. 



The Etruscans Avere bold navigators. For moi'e than a cen- 

 tury — 600-500 B. C. — they were the virtual masters of the 

 Mediterranean. It may be objected that in this tliey were unlike 



* The Kanoun of the Algerian Kabyles has been published, in full, by MM. Hanoteau 

 et Letourneux, La Kabylie et les Coutumes Kabyles (Vol. iii, Paris. 1873). See also on 

 the position of woman among the Kabyles, L. Piesse. Algerie et Tanisie, p. Ixv (Paris, 

 1888). 



t In the Origin of Nations, above quoted. 



PROC. AMEK. PHILOS. SOC. XXVI. 130. 3m. PBINTED NOV. 18, 1889. 



