ABSTRACT
When Maria Tsesmetzi (Çeşmeci, Tr) from the enoria of Agios Ioannis in Tirilye was going to get married to Georgios Petrakoglou from the enoria of lower Agios Georgios, the parents of the bride, Ioannis and Bethleem, appeared before the demogerontia to register their daughter’s dowry in the commune book. In the presence of witnesses, the secretary of the commune duly noted down each item of property that Maria was taking to her new home and then the parties signed the book to finalise the arrangement. The reference in the commune book also shows that the parents made a payment for this service when they appeared before the communal authorities to register the dowry. These dues taken as payment for the dowry arrangements and other similar contracts open for us an entire field of investigation, which is about the financial relations of the commune.
