Indigenous slavery in West Africa, known as pawnship, differed somewhat from the chattel slavery of the trans-Atlantic trade, since pawns would live amongst a similar culture. Pawns would, however, still be restrained against escape.
From Alistair Boddy-Evans, About.com
The Role of Islam in African SlaveryOrigins of the Trans-Atlantic Slave TradeThe Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade
How Many Slaves Were Taken from Africa?Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade: Origins of Slaves
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