THE latest season of Netflix's hit show Bridgerton has left viewers asking what a dowry is.
The old-fashioned payment system was prominent in the early1800s.
What is a dowry?
A dowry – or dowries – are an ancient tradition found across many cultures, religions and time periods.
It is a gift of substantial money given from the the bride or groom to their future spouse upon marriage.
Santhosh Bhau – a Hindu Brahmin Priest – says the dowry "serves as a gift from the bride’s family to the groom’s family as a kind gesture for welcoming her into their home".
"The custom is that you never go anywhere empty-handed."
The term originated during the Roman Empire when the bride's family would provide a dowry to the groom of his family to compensate for the cost of living for taking in their daughter.
It can serve as a gift to the in-laws or an insurance policy for the bridge should she choose to leave her husband and is something she can take with her in case of a divorce.
But this changed over time and it has now become a financial demand.
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Dowries can take the form of money to material goods like real estate or plots of land.
It is rarely used these days and if given, is typically used to help the newlywed couple to build a new future together.
They were commonplace in Ancient Greece, the Roman Empire and across Africa and Asia.
They fell out of fashion in Victorian England, that is, between 1873 and 1901.
Are dowries illegal in the UK and US?
The practice remains legal in the UK, according to a 2014 article to The Independent.
According to the BBC, is it commonly used among Britain's Asian community.
Dowry is not recognized as law in the US, except in Louisiana, according to infoplease.
What is a bride price?
Bride Price, or bridewealth, or bride token is another term for dowry.
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In Hindu culture, a bride's family typically pays the dowry where as the opposite occurs in Muslim cultures.
The amount to be paid depends on the culture and factors such as class and income.
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