Summarized from Azumah, Beachey, and P.W. Harrison:
As early as the 9th century, the Zanj, according to the great Arab historian al-Tabari, were employed in gangs between 500 and 5000 in the salt marshes of southern Iraq. Al-Tabari observes that their condition was “extremely bad” and that they were ‘” literally pinned down there, hopeless and homeless.” Their reward consisted of a “a few handfuls of meals”. Their miserable condition led to several rebellions, the fiercest of which lasted for 15 years from 868 to 883 CE….
A 19th century eyewitness described the condition of sales in the Persian Gulf regions as “a dreadful thing”; he went on to state that “perhaps the worst of the whole thing is the pearl driving.” The stronger male slaves were chosen for the task:
“And before they dive for the peal oysters a clip is put on their nose to prevent their breathing. They then jump out of the boat, armed with a hammer and a light basket, and on coming to surface pass the oysters into the boat, and after a whiff of air are sent down again. If they don’t success in sending up a certain number of oysters they get severely beaten. Before long, their lungs begin to give way, and the it is soon all over with them…” (A Collection of documents).
A 20th century eyewitness described the same situation as “a repulsive and dreadful thing. Men and women live on the level of animals. As little is spent on them as possible, they being regarded simply as pieces of equipment for pearl diving. It has equally been pointed out that slaves in North Africa in general and Egypt in particular worked naked on starvation rations and in unbearable climatic condition, as a result of which they died by the hundreds, if not thousands.”
References
Azumha, J. A. (2018). The legacy of Arab Islam in Africa, Oneworld, London.
Beachey, R. W. (1976). A Collection of Documents on the Slave Trade of Eastern Africa, Rex Collings, London.
Harison, P.W. (1939). “Slavery in Arabia”, Muslim World, vol 29.
