Testimonies of Enslavement: Sources on Slavery from the Indian Ocean

In this review of Testimonies of Enslavement: Sources on Slavery from the Indian Ocean World, the reviewer finds a rigorous primary-source collection that will most benefit historians, graduate students and researchers focused on slavery, caste and legal practice in South Asia and the Indian Ocean. The book's strongest asset is its presentation of ten original Dutch court transcripts from the Court of Justice of Cochin paired with English translations, which together provide direct access to interrogations and testimonies otherwise inaccessible to non-Dutch readers.

Key Features

• Archival court cases: Presents ten detailed court cases drawn from the Court of Justice of Cochin, offering primary documentation of legal processes.
• Side-by-side texts: Each original Dutch transcript is followed by an English translation, making the material usable for researchers without Dutch language skills.
• Focus on lived practice: The testimonies illuminate the interactions between local systems of bondage and global commodified slavery, useful for comparative studies.
• Analytical framing: Contributors analyse themes of enslavement, caste and social control to situate individual cases within broader historical dynamics.
• Regional scope: Emphasises the Indian Ocean and South Asia, filling a gap in scholarship dominated by Atlantic narratives.

Who It's For

The book is best for academic readers: university instructors building seminar readings, graduate students researching slavery in the Indian Ocean world, and historians who need primary texts and scholarly interpretation in one place. Its bilingual presentation also suits comparative legal historians and translators interested in archival practice.

Readers looking for a narrative popular history, a broad survey of world slavery, or a quick introduction for general audiences should look elsewhere; the book assumes comfort with close reading of archival transcripts and scholarly analysis rather than offering a generalist synthesis.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Direct access to ten primary Dutch court transcripts with English translations, which greatly aids non-Dutch readers.
• Contextual analysis that links individual testimonies to larger themes of caste, bondage and global slavery.
• Concentrated focus on the Court of Justice of Cochin provides depth for regional and legal studies.

Cons

• Not intended for casual readers; the dense archival material and specialist analysis limit its appeal to nonacademic audiences.

Specifications

Title	Testimonies of Enslavement: Sources on Slavery from the Indian Ocean World
Editors / Authors	Matthias van Rossum, Alexander Geelen, Bram van den Hout, Merve Tosun
Primary sources	Ten court cases from the Court of Justice of Cochin
Text format	Original Dutch transcripts with English translations
Geographic focus	Indian Ocean world and South Asia
Subject focus	Enslavement, caste, social control and legal testimony

Our Verdict

Testimonies of Enslavement is a valuable, well-documented resource for scholars of slavery and legal history who need access to primary documents and careful analysis; it represents good value as a specialized academic volume, though its dense archival focus makes it less suitable for general readers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the original documents included?
Yes; each case includes the original Dutch transcript followed by an English translation.

Is this book suitable for undergraduates?
Advanced undergraduates in history or related fields may find it useful, but the material is geared toward graduate-level research and instructors.

Does the book cover the Atlantic slave trade?
No; the emphasis is on the Indian Ocean world and interactions between local systems of bondage and global slavery.