Slavery in ancient Egypt

Slavery in Ancient Egypt was established in the New Kingdom (1550-1175 BCE), with slaves along with servants and peasants making up 80% of the population. Interpretation of the textual evidence of slaves in Ancient Egypt is indistinct and has been difficult to differentiate between “slave” and “servant” by word usage alone. There were three types of enslavement in Ancient Egypt: chattel slavery, bonded labor, and forced labor.

Chattel slavery

Chattel slaves were mostly of captives from war. All captives, including civilians not a part of the military forces, become a royal resource. The pharaoh would then resettle the captives by moving them into colonies for labor, giving them to temples, giving them as rewards to deserving individuals, and giving them to his soldiers as booty. Some chattel slaves began as free people who had commit illicit acts and were forced to give up their freedom. Other chattel slaves were born into the life from a slave mother.

Bonded labor

Ancient Egyptians were able to sell themselves into slavery in a form of bonded labor. Self-sale into servitude was not always a choice made by the individuals’ free will, but rather a result of individuals who were unable to pay off their debts. The creditor would wipe the debt by acquiring the individual who was in debt as a slave, along with his children and wife. The debtor would also have to give up all that was owned. Peasants were also able to sell themselves into slavery for food or shelter.

Forced labor

Several departments in the Ancient Egyptian government were able to draft workers from the general population to work for the state with a corvée labor system. The laborers were conscripted for projects such as military expeditions, mining, quarrying, the building of pyramids, and other construction projects for the state. Forced laborers were paid a wage, depending on their skill level and social status for their work. Conscripted workers were not owned by individuals, like other slaves, but rather required to perform labor as a duty to the state. Conscripted labor was a form of taxation by government officials and usually happened at the local level when high officials called upon small village leaders.

Masters

Masters of Ancient Egypt were under obligations when owning slaves. Masters were allowed to utilize the abilities of their slaves by employing them in different manners including domestic services (cooks, maids, brewers, nannies, etc.) and labor services (gardeners, stable hands, field hands, etc.). Masters also had the right to make the slave learn a trade or craft to make the slave more valuable. Masters were forbidden to force child slaves to harsh physical labor.

Economy

Ancient Egypt was a peasant-based economy and it was not until Greco-Roman Period that slavery became a greater impact. Slave dealing in Ancient Egypt was done through private dealers and not through a public market. The transaction had to be performed before a local council or officials with a document containing clauses that were used in other valuable sales.

Slave life

Many slaves who worked for temple estates lived under terrible conditions, but on average the Ancient Egyptian slave led a life similar of that of a serf. They were capable of negotiation transactions and owning personal property. Chattel and debt slaves were given food and probably not given wages.

Historians dispute the role that slaves played in the construction of the Great Pyramids. One alternative proposition is that it was peasants who built the pyramids during flooding, when they could not work in their lands. In addition, historians point out that slaves would never have been buried honorably inside the tombs of the pyramids.