Science still does not know the nature of marriage. Existing hypotheses about the origin of the union between a man and a woman have many weaknesses, and in this regard, compared to other primates, man continues to remain a unique ape. Based on extensive scientific data, the book offers a new view and argues that the prehistoric birth of marriage was not due to any then biological factors (the hypothesis of reliable paternity) or economic (transfer of property by inheritance), but ideological: marriage became a consequence of male dominance that once arose and was intended to strengthen this dominance. Marriage is an ancient mechanism of subjugation of a woman.