Mountstuart Elphinstone, a young Scotsman, arrived in Afghanistan in 1808 and wrote about the then kingdom. Among other things, about women and their importance as a means of exchange. In her book Caderno Afegão, Alexandra Lucas Coelho included a passage from Elphinstone´s An account of the Kingdom of Caubul:"Among western afghans, the atonement of a murder is made by giving away 12 young women, six with a dowry and six without. The dowry of each one is 60 rupies (7,10 pounds), partially in goods. For cutting a hand, an ear or a nose, they give six women; for breaking a tooth, three women; for an injury above the head, one woman; for an injury under the head (unless it takes a year to heal) or any other small offense, atonement is made with apologies and submission. Oriental afghans give less women and more money. There are fixed equivalents for a woman in money, so the person to whom a compensation is owed can choose what he prefers."
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