The purpose of marriage

 The purpose of marriage 

For thousands of years, families consisted of loosely organized groups of up to 30 people. As agricultural societies developed, so did the need for greater stability.

The first recorded evidence of marriage ceremonies uniting women and men dates from around 2350 BCE in Mesopotamia. Marriage has since evolved into a widespread institution with various meanings and functions in different cultural contexts, though its primary purpose seems to be consistently practical rather than romantic.

Through the institution of marriage, kinship groups (and later, religions) were able to regulate relationships, and specify the rights and obligations expected of two individuals and any offspring they produced. Some anthropologists have argued that marriage is primarily about identifying the "descent" and ownership of children, as well as providing the latter with certain rights, including inheritance. Other functions served by marriage include the regulation of sexual activity and defining rules about when it is appropriate to have children, establishing peoples economic and social responsibilities, and satisfying the basic human needs of affection and companionship.

Source ~ ‘Little Book of Anthropology’ by Rasha Barrage