Position of Women as depicted in the Kharosthi Documents from Chinese Turkestan

Summary

Ratna Chandra Agrawala examines birch‑bark letters and legal documents written in the Kharosthi script and found in Chinese Turkestan to reconstruct the social and legal status of women in the first centuries CE. These documents include marriage contracts, deeds of sale, inheritance papers and personal correspondence. Agrawala analyses provisions regarding dowry, bride‑price, and the rights and obligations of husbands and wives. He finds that women could inherit property, buy and sell slaves, act as guarantors in financial transactions and be party to lawsuits, suggesting a relatively high degree of legal capacity. The contracts generally exhibit monogamy, though instances of polygyny and concubinage occur. Several deeds show women being transferred as slaves or concubines, highlighting patriarchal practices and the commodification of female labour. Agrawala compares these records with Indian legal texts like the Manusmriti and with later Buddhist practices in Central Asia, noting that the Turkestan documents display a blend of Iranian, Indian and local customs. The article argues that while women occupied an inferior social status, their ability to own property and litigate indicates a measure of autonomy not always recognised in classical sources. By bringing together scattered documents, the study provides valuable insight into the economic roles and personal agency of women in an intercultural frontier region.