What is a harem?
Q: What is a harem?
A: A harem refers to the women and the place where they live in a polygynous household, which is mostly not accessible to men.
Q: Where did the term harem come from?
A: The term harem comes from the Turkish word haram, which means sacred, forbidden place.
Q: What was the purpose of harems in the past?
A: Harems were meant for the royal upbringing of the future wives of noble and royal men. These women would be educated so that they were ready to appear in public as a royal wife.
Q: What did people in the West believe about harems in the past?
A: In the West people thought that harems (especially those in the Ottoman Empire) were brothels full of women who gave themselves up to please rich men.
Q: What is the modern meaning of the term harem?
A: In modern terms, the term harem may be used to describe a group of admiring women attracted to one man.
Q: Which gender is mostly excluded from entering a harem?
A: Most men are not allowed in a harem.
Q: Which noble and royal men were harems meant for in the past?
A: Harems were meant for the royal upbringing of the future wives of noble and royal men.
