 Menefee argued that the ritual mirrored that of a livestock sale — the symbolic meaning of the halter ; wives were even occasionally valued by weight , just like livestock . Although the halter was considered central to the " legitimacy " of the sale , Thompson has suggested that Menefee may have misunderstood the social context of the transaction . Markets were favoured not because livestock was traded there , but because they offered a public venue where the separation of husband and wife could be witnessed . Sales often took place at fairs , in front of public houses , or local landmarks such as the obelisk at Preston ( 1817 ) , or Bolton 's " gas pillar " ( 1835 ) , where crowds could be expected to gather . 
