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Marriage, inheritance and household formation on a Greek island, Mykonos (mid-nineteenth to mid-twentieth century)

Lookup NU author(s): Professor Violetta HionidouORCiD

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Abstract

This paper aims to examine the inter-relationship between marriage, household formation and inheritance on the Greek island of Mykonos in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. The data sources utilised include a family reconstitution study of the whole island population, the 1861 nominal census of the island population, the island’s notary public’s records and oral histories focusing on all the above aspects. While the Laslett classification is used as a starting point, inter-relations are sought to be established at the individual level. The data reveal a strong, almost exclusive, presence of nuclear households, a moderately late age at marriage for women and an inheritance pattern where pre-mortem arrangements were made for the provision of both daughters and sons. Still, arrangements were made for the sustaining of the older generation whereby part of the property was retained by the elderly couple as an ‘old age insurance’ and which was given to the child providing his/her services to the elderly parents. Both young men and young women would seek paid employment in order to accumulate wealth prior to marriage with no issues of ‘morality’ been raised among the working classes.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Hionidou V

Editor(s): Head-König, A.L. in collaboration with P. Pozsgai

Publication type: Book Chapter

Publication status: Published

Book Title: Inheritance practices, marriage strategies and household formation in European rural societies

Year: 2012

Pages: 261-282

Edition: 1st

Series Title: Rural History in Europe 7

Number of Volumes: 1

Publisher: Brepols

Place Published: Turnhout

Library holdings: Search Newcastle University Library for this item

ISBN: 9782503543956


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