The Origins of Bride Wealth

The tiv at that time used bundles of brass rods as their most pretigious form of currency. Brass rods were only held by men and never used to buy things in markets, markets were dominated by women. Men exchanged them for cattle, horses, ivory, ritual titles, medical treatment, magical charms. Every one knew that the only thing you can legitimately give in exchange for a woman is another woman. Everywhere, the suitor presenting bride wealth is never payng for a woman, or even for the rights to claim her children.