For modern man marriage - rather, it is an optional event. It helps to solve some of the legal aspects of living together. For example, to divide the property in the event of separation, children, etc.
But before the marriage was a mandatory exercise, if not sacred. It was necessary for procreation, the respect of a particular social stratum, etc. People were a valuable commodity, the birth of children is caused by the presence of the working masses and the military in the future. The public purse is an indispensable resource that you need to produce on a regular basis.
So that boys and girls have to marry only if their own fertility.
Therefore it was very important to young people who were going to start a family, have the opportunity to give birth to healthy offspring. Infertility is considered the bane (especially for women). The woman, unable to bear a child, it is waste material, dummy. So that the future wife and future husband were subjected to a thorough "examination" before the impending marriage.
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Naturally, that cope with this task as best they could. We are judged by the general constitution and acquired property (house, yard, land, etc.). For girls audition was more rigid. Maid should be healthy in appearance, with a curvy figure, ruddy, with good hair and teeth (well, downright mare at the fair). Such an instance ensure a healthy offspring, not stunted children, what happened at hudyshek. Besides spravno girl and childbirth will transfer because neither Caesar nor anesthesia or medicine we are used to and did not exist.
This attitude has given rise and deception. In order to please the groom, the girls put on several layers of lush clothing, used different formulations to make the face more rosy, and white skin.
Such Dummy worked with the groom and far kinsfolk, but not in-law. To check on the honesty of the bride, she was sent with her mother in law in the bath, steam bath. There's a girl could be seen from all sides and make sure whether it is the golden little son or not suitable.
If the groom's mother is not there, then searched for other female family members for these purposes. In an extreme case, we asked for help midwives and traditional healers, so surely.
Naturally, this diagnosis is ridiculous for us today, it does not give any guarantees. Additional check each other's strength served as the wedding night, after which the bride and groom could become better acquainted with the physical parameters of each other. Moreover, the standard age for marriage was considered the age of 14 for girls and 16 years for boys.