Explain how access to property sharpened social differences between men and women in ancient times.
In accordance with the Manusmriti, the parental property should be equally divided between all the sons after the death of their parents. But the eldest son was entitled to a special share. The women had no right to demand any share in this property. But they had complete ownership in all the gifts presented to them on the occasion of their marriage. It was called the wealth of the women. This property could be easily inherited by their progeny. The husband had no right on this property of the woman often called stree dhan. But the Manusmriti also prohibited all the women to hide any family property or accumulate precious things secretly without the permission of the husbands.There are undoubtedly some indications that a few women from the higher strata of a society controlled all the resources. But the land, animals, and money were always under the control of men. In other words, the disparity between the social position of the men and women became rampant because of diverse control of men and women over the resources.
