Esther M. Zimmer Lederberg
Slaves mining salt

The music is Morisco music, found on Iberian Garden, Vol. 1 by Altramar. The piece is Muwashshah: Mā li-l-muwallah, 1113-1198.

This music takes place at the beautiful gardens along the Guadalquiver, near Cordoba. This is during the "convivencia" under Alfonso X (El Sabio - The Wise), the time before Granda fell: when Christians, Moslems and Jews lived at peace with each other. Muwashshah are songs in poetic form, with instrumental interludes in the form of Ibn Bājja (Avempace): 1470-1520. This is Morisco art.
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Slaves mining salt
North African Slave Markets
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Slaves in the bagnio, were often expected to do heavy labor on masseries (gardens, orchards, vinyards); making houses; moving heavy rocks to create ocean jetties, work in lime and salt mines, etc. Such slaves were were often not watched and might attempt to escape. To prevent such escapes, these slaves were loaded with chains, often the chains attached to heavy iron balls or iron-boots. Slaves so hobbled could not easily escape. During the 19th century in the U.S. South, chain gangs with hobbled "convicts" could still be seen!

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