This paper examines the role and representations of dower, mahr, in early Islamic literature. Previously, works of jurisprudence have been the primary guide for our understanding; thus, most of the focus has been on mahr's theoretical place and prescriptive ideals of its function. Modern anthropological and ethnographic studies attempt to supplement this weakness, and they do an admirable job in following developments in its role and status in society. However, there is still little information on the actual specifics about mahr in the early period, and it is dangerous to try and extrapolate from prescriptive rulings or modern understandings. Historical and literary works, on the other hand, can inform us about how mahr functioned in early Islamic society, rather than how it was theorized to function. This paper examines the presence of mahr in these texts from the first three centuries after the spread of Islam, looking at literary compilations, histories, and poetry. The focus is on the vocabulary surrounding the idea of mahr, the situations where mahr is referenced (and where it is not), what kinds of exchanges (both in type and quantity) take place, and the way that it is discussed by men and women—narrators, compilers, and characters. From this study emerges a number of individual observations on exchange and marriage in the early period, from the actual exchange of property to cultural and religious attitudes towards that exchange. First, while actual amounts vary, there does seem to be a standard baseline found in early texts for what is proper. Furthermore, there is an understanding of what is proper or improper, and implications on status. Women and mahr is a touchy subject, and questions of women’s demands are accompanied by judgment. Mahr functions as more than just a bride-price, even in this period; it is security for not only women, but for men, as well. Finally, its vocabulary is associated not only with gifts (hada) or with early vocabulary derived from the movement of livestock (saq), but also with law and command (ihtakam). Based around these results, mahr functioned in a larger context than just the two individuals in bound in marriage; it was also more complicated than an exchange between men of two household. The mahr is economic exchange, social exchange; and in its inclusion in narratives and poetry, it opens the door to better understanding the social circumstances of the early Islamic world.