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From: "Geoff" <>
Subject: Re: [CORNISH] Fw: Fw: Fw: Life Expectancy in the early 1800's
Date: Mon, 31 Mar 2008 10:35:24 +0200
References: <KDECLJBMMANOEMCCAJBECENEDDAA.cpolglase@comcast.net>


Hello list,

We sem to have lost the 'life expectancy' thread somewhere along the
line. Clearly the mining regions would be more 'hazardous' but statistics
are so deceiving. The large numbers of deaths at birth, in childhood, and at
work and home accidents bring the averages down to alarmingly low levels.

Coming to the second point, the idea of marriage is a religious concept.
Inventing marriage means you are inventing monogamy, polygamy, adultery,
bigamy and various other 'sins' that would not exist without religion.
Before the main monotheistic religions (except perhaps Judaism) came into
existence, forming couples and having children was very much a question of
local custom. In a 'tribal' society, the girl may not even be in a position
of naming who she thinks just 'might' be the father.

Just to quote one example. The Vikings were very keen on their daughters
being virgins, mostly because they would bring in a better dowry.Vikings
could have as many 'wives' as their means could support, and the rule was
that if a woman "carried the man's keys", lived with him, sharing food and
bed for three Winters, she became officially his 'housewife'. By this time
of course there would probably have been a child or two, but this was not
compulsory for becoming 'wed'.

I'm sure a professional ethnologist could give many even more peculiar
'marriage' customs, so I think after all that the Cornish and our Welsh
cousins have quite normal marital habits.

Regards

Geoff




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