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Photograph from Prof. Albert T. Clay 



SAFEGUARDS AGAINST FORGERY IN USE 3,800 YEARS AGO IN BABYLONIA 



A clay tablet, with its case, upon which was written the deed in duplicate form, and 

 containing the seal impressions of the obligor and witness. If the obligee removed the 

 envelope he could not replace it. 



poor man, or pleb, and the slave. Among 

 the ranks of the first mentioned were the 

 professional men, the officers, and the 

 tradesmen. The second class included 

 the freedman who had been a slave. 



There was a graded scale for these 

 three classes as regards offerings that 

 were imposed upon them. Besides these 

 three grades in society, the code legis- 

 lated also for certain classes of men and 

 women, professions and trades. 



It has been the custom with most peo- 

 ples in a large part of the ancient, as well 

 as the modern. Orient to base a betrothal 

 upon an agreement of the man or his 

 parents to pay a sum of money to the 

 girl's father. In Babylonia this "bride 

 money," together with the gift of the 



father and other gifts, formed the mar- 

 riage portion which was given to the 

 bride. 



There were prudential reasons for this 

 practice. It gave the woman protection 

 against ill-treatment and infidelity on the 

 part of the husband, as well as against 

 divorce ; for if she returned to her fa- 

 ther's, house she took with her the mar- 

 riage portion unless she was the offend- 

 ing party. If she died childless, the por- 

 tion was returned to her family. If she 

 had children, the marriage portion was 

 divided among them. 



In case the girl's father rejected the 

 suitor after the contract had been made, 

 he was required to return double the 

 amount of the bride price. The betroth- 



180 



