Role played by women in agriculture:

1. In the rural society women and men had to work shoulder to shoulder in the fields. Men tilled and ploughed while women sowed, weeded, threshed and winnowed harvest.

2. Artisanal tasks such as spinning yarn, sifting and kneading day for pottery and embroidery were among the many aspects of production on female labour.

3. In Medieval villages there was an imbalance in the sex ratio. The mortality among women was quite high. Therefore marriages in many rural communities required the payment of bride prise rather than dowry. Remarriage was considered legitimate both among divorced and widowed women.

4. The rural household was headed by a male and women were kept under strict control by the male members of the family and the community.

5. Amongst the men, women had the right to inherit. For e.g. Hindu and Muslim women inherited zamindari which they were free to sell or mortgage. Women Zamindars were known in 18^th century Bengal.