CHAPTER XXXVI. 



SLAVEKY THRALDOM. 1 



Slavery among the Asar Its early existence in the North Contempt in 

 which the slave was held Nationalities of captives in war Purchase of 

 slaves Daughters of foreign kings taken as slaves Slaves considered 

 chattels Slaves could buy their freedom Ceremonies attending the 

 attainment of freedom Relations between the freed slave and his former 

 master freedom obtained through bravery in war Masters empowered 

 to kill slaves Positions of trust given to slaves Indemnity payable to 

 masters for injury to slaves Laws relating to slaves' children Price of 

 slaves Laws of purchase. 



SLAVERY flourished with, the Asar on the shores of the Black 

 Sea, and their slaves seem to have been of foreign birth, as we 

 see from the words of Skirnir, when he comes to ask Gerd in 

 marriage for his master Frey. He thus speaks of himself: 



I am not of Alfar, Though alone I came 



Nor of Asa-sons, Through the wavering fire 



Nor of the wise Vanir : Your halls to behold. 



(Skirnismal, 18.) 



Slaverv existed in the North from the earliest time, and 



tf 



was probably introduced by the followers of Odin. 



Among thrall men, the thjon and bryti (steward) were the 

 most prominent, and among the thrall women the seta and 

 deigja, the latter being a kind of housekeeper or forewoman. 



" Two are the best bond-women of a man, seta and deigja, 

 and two thralls, thjon and bryti " (Earlier Gulathing's Law, 

 198). 



Though serfdom, a modified form of slavery, existed after- 

 wards in other parts of Europe, the land of the Swedes, Gautar, 

 and Norwegians was never degraded by it ; but, alas, it 



1 Thrall was a male slave ; ambatt, a female slave. 



