Some Ancient Egyptians Volunteered Themselves into Slavery
Poverty has been affecting people since ancient times. It’s no secret that many of the pyramids of Egypt were created through slave labor. In Ancient Egypt, there were three different categories of enslavement: chattel slavery, bonded labor, and forced labor. Pharoah Ramses III left behind records in the Papyrus Harris I stating that he owned tens of thousands of slaves. He branded men, women, and children with tattoos of his name so that everyone would know that they were his property. As time went on, there was the belief that you could be a Shabti- an enslaved person who gained guaranteed access to the afterlife in exchange for their work while they were alive. This belief was so strong that some poor people actually volunteered themselves into slavery in exchange for access to Egypt and the promise of an afterlife.