The Cusp, Part XVIII
Inside the gate was another wall. It was placed so that anyone coming through the gate had to go around it. The hunter thought it was to disrupt any attackers who managed to break down the gates. Looking up he saw a platform where the defenders could stand and drop stones or shoot arrows at anyone coming in. The city spent much time and effort thinking about defense. The hunter was impressed at the amount of effort that the city represented. The merchant led the way. There were narrow streets with mud brick buildings on either side. It was shady between the buildings until the sun was directly overhead. There was a large open space at the center of the city. The space was dominated by the temple. The temple was the largest and tallest structure in the city. It was multi story and mostly of mud brick, but stone was being laid around it. The merchant explained that the high-status people lived closest to the temple. The poor lived closer to the wall. In the streets around the temple were vendor’s stalls. Goods of every type were available for bartering. The band was trying to take in all the new sights and scents. Fish, meat, spices, bread, and cooked food were available. They arrived at a large structure just a few streets back from the temple. The merchant stopped and spoke to them.
“Here is my house and storage building.”
The door to the house opened and four children ran out and embraced the merchant. Three women followed them. The merchant introduced them as his wives. One was the merchant’s age, the second was about twenty-five summers, and the third was a young woman of about eighteen summers. They were dressed in embroidered linen and wore necklaces and bracelets. They stood in order of age. The older woman was clearly in charge. All the women were shorter and smaller than the tribal women. The band was surprised that the merchant had three wives. It was not unheard of among the people for a man to have a second wife as long as he could provide for both women and their children. In many cases the second wife was a female relative of the first wife who had lost her husband. In some cases, a second wife was brought into the union to help the first wife with hard work if she became infirm or disabled. The man’s first wife had to agree to the union. Among the city people multiple wives were a way for a man to show his status and wealth. Everything they had seen so far showed that status was very important to the city people. The merchant spoke.
“You can put your things in my storage area. They will be safe there. Then you can wash the travel dust off and we will talk about getting the best bargain for you.”
Inside the merchant’s house was plastered with lime. The white walls made the interior brighter despite the windows being shuttered. A hole in the roof let in light and allowed smoke from the fire to drift upward. The walls were half a man height thick, Despite the heat outside it was cool. The merchant led them to a connected building that served as a storeroom. There were large clay containers with tight fitting lids that held grain and other trade goods as well as food and supplies for the household. The merchant’s wives led the women to a room where a large container of water waited. They bathed and changed into their best clothes. The woman bathed Cub who splashed in the cool water and laughed. Slaves emptied the water and took their dusty clothes. The dust would be beaten out of the travel clothes, and they would be cleaned with clay. The woman spoke.
“It is a long walk to the river. It must take a lot of work to fill such a large container.”
The merchant’s oldest wife spoke.
“The gods have been good to us. We have a well in our courtyard that gives us plenty of good water.”
Cub had begun to nurse. The senior wife spoke to the woman.
“She has your eyes.”
“They were more blue when she was first born, but now they are gray. I think they will stay that color.”
“She looks like you and her father.”
Cub had finished nursing was passed among the women. She smiled her two-tooth grin and played with their necklaces and jewelry. Cub was fascinated by shiny objects. The wives noticed the woman’s necklace. The youngest wife spoke to her.
“I have not seen a necklace like that. Where did you get it?”
“I made it.”
“I really like how the amber beads look next to the claws.”
“Thank you.”
“The tooth and claws must have been a costly trade.”
“It was almost a very costly trade.”
The woman’s mother spoke.
“She and her man killed the lion together. Then she made the necklace. She doesn’t brag, but as her mother I can.”
There was laughter among the women and then the youngest wife spoke to the woman again.
“The two of you killed a lion?”
“Yes. We were hunting aurochs and he started stalking my brother. My man hit the lion with an arrow and he came for us. My spear hit him between the neck and the shoulder just as he jumped at us. My man ducked under him and speared him in the chest. It could have ended badly for us.”
The merchant’s wives looked surprised and whispered among themselves. Then the senior wife spoke.
“You hunt with your man?”
“Not as much as we used to, Cub takes up a lot of my time, but we still go out together when we can. Having two grandmothers and the women in the band around to watch her is a gift.”
“Do all the women of your people hunt?”
“Almost all of them. Especially before they are married.”
“Your tribes allow this?”
“It is encouraged. Our people want everyone to have as many skills as possible. On a group hunt men and women take part. Even the young ones and the elders help to drive the animals.”
“Why is this so?”
“We believe that everyone takes part in feeding the band or the tribe. The meat tastes just as good whether it is killed by a man or a woman. The hunt leaders organize people by what they are best at not what they have between their legs.”
“Women here would never be allowed to take part in a hunt. Our place is with the children and in the house.”
“What do you do outside the house?”
“We go to the market and visit with friends, things like that. It is a way for us to learn things that can help our husband.”
“What do you do outside the city?”
“None of us have been more than half-days walk from the city.”
“Ever?”
“No, our place is here.”
The women of the group were surprised but were being polite and did not comment.
The women rejoined the men in the main room of the house. The men had washed in the courtyard. Other rooms were spaced around the largest room. The courtyard held the well and a cooking area. They would later learn that most of the houses in the city were one or two rooms. The merchant was quite wealthy. The women sat next to their men on mats on the floor. The merchant called for food. House slaves brought in a container of soup made with fish and root vegetables. It was well seasoned with herbs and spices. The soup was an expression of the merchant’s trade connections. The soup was ladled into clay bowels. Then the slaves gave each person a clay cup of what future generations would characterize as beer. The beer was really more of a thin soup made from fermented grain, water, honey, and other things. It had a very low alcohol content and was filling. The taste was a little sour but not unpleasant. The merchant spoke.
“What do you think of the city so far?”
The hunter’s father spoke.
“We appreciate your hospitality. We would be lost among so many people. It is amazing how the city works; it’s almost like it is alive.”
“In a way it is. Each person is a part of the city. Like organs in a body.”
“I’m still trying to understand how so many people know what to do and work together.”
Just then a large clay platter was brought in. It held the dessert. The dessert was designed to impress the visitors. It was made of leavened bread soaked with honey and alternating layers of a date, fig, and nut mixture. It was very good. The merchant held up his plate and pointed to the dessert.
“The city is like this. At the top are the priests. They tell us what the gods want from us. Then there are the administrators. They supervise and make sure work gets done. They allocate the land that will be farmed, collect taxes, and supervise building projects. Then there are the merchants and craftsmen. The craftsmen make the things the city needs and goods for trade. The merchants trade amongst themselves and those who come from outside the city. Next are the farmers, they feed the city. At the bottom are the slaves. They do the hardest work and have the lowest status.” The woman’s father spoke.
“What about the soldiers.”
“They answer only to the priests in the temple. The defend the city and maintain order inside the walls.”
There was more light conversation among the merchant’s household and the band. The house was comfortable and surprisingly quiet due to the thick walls. The merchant’s wives offered to show the women the rest of the house. They agreed. They were shocked at how many things the household had. Many sets of clothing stored in wooden chests, large amounts of food in the storeroom, and beds. The beds were wood frames with rope woven between them. On top of the rope were mattresses stuffed with straw and bedclothes made of wool or linen. The woman spoke.
“Isn’t it hot sleeping under so many robes in the summer?”
The senior wife responded.
“When the weather is hot, we sleep on the roof. It is cool up there at night.”
Next, they visited the kitchen area. There were clay pots large enough to prepare a meal for the household and wooden utensils. Bowles and platters were stored on a shelf. Spices, salt, and herbs were kept in containers on another shelf. The kitchen was well organized and the women complimented it. The senior wife spoke.
“Thank you. We asked our senior household slave how she wanted the kitchen when we built the house. This is her domain and she feeds us well. We are very fond of her.”
The slave quarters were a pair of small rooms with mats on the floor. Pegs in the wall held clothing and blankets. In warm weather the slaves moved their mats into the courtyard. The senior household slave had a cubby near the kitchen. It was a sign of her status that she had her own area and allowed her to be near the fire in the mornings. The women returned to the main room and rejoined the men. The merchant spoke.
“I will give you fair trades for your dried meat. There is always a market for it. What do you want in return?” The woman’s father spoke.
“Grain, dates, figs, lentils, and cloth. The women would like to see what else is available in the market. My daughter would like to see what she can get for her beaded shirts and my son in law has brought tools.”
The merchant led them to the storeroom and spoke.
“I have grain, dried fruit, dried fish, salt, lentils, and some cloth. I looked at your aurochs meat. It is good quality. I can get more cloth from the weavers.”
The merchant held up a clay jar.
“This will hold a measure of grain. That is how we value things when we trade. For example, a piece of copper might be worth three to five measures of grain depending on its size. One of those beaded shirts would be worth ten or more measures of grain. Dates are worth more than grain because we grow fewer of them. Dried fish is worth less than dried meat because we have more fish than meat and so on.”
The hunter spoke.
“Your head must ache holding so much inside it.”
“I was taught by my father from the time I was a young one and I have a slave with a very good memory. I want you to know that I will treat you fairly. I will make an offer for all your meat. Tomorrow I will send my slave with you to the market. He knows the city and will show you whatever you want to see. Take some samples of your meat and see what other merchants will offer you. I am convinced none will do better than my offer. I hope to trade with your tribes in the future. Your woman can take her beaded shirts, and you can take your tools in case you see things I don’t deal in.”
The merchant was silent for a while and then stated what he would exchange for the meat. It would be more than they could carry. The band would talk among themselves after they toured the marketplace.