The Slaves

Ko'Lar or Collar?

"The room is silent, absolutely silent, except for the decisive click of the collar lock. It is a sound the girl will never forget." — Outlaw of Gor, page 52.

So… is it "collar" or "ko-lar?" Actually, both terms and spellings are correct. There was only one time in the books, in which the word "ko-lar" was used. Many interpretations of this quote have been made, that "ko-lar" was used in this quote to denote pronunciation and that "ko-lar" was actually Gorean terminology. Yet, other interpretations were made that "ko-lar" would also fit as the actual Gorean word, based upon linguistic principles (see the Encyclopedia main page), and in writing the book, John Norman simplified it and used the English word. Regardless of the truth, the word "ko-lar" is commonly accepted in virtual Gorean rooms.

"Ko-lar," she said, indicating her collar.
       "It is the same word in English," I cried. She did not understand my outburst. Gorean, as I would learn, is rich in words borrowed from Earth languages; how rich it is I am not a skilled enough philologist to conjecture…
       "Collar!" I said. Eta frowned. "Ko-lar," she repeated, again indicating the neck band of steel fashioned on her throat.
       "Ko-lar," I said, carefully following her pronunciation. Eta accepted this. — Slave Girl of Gor, pages 80-81.

Thoughts on the Collar

The Gorean collar. To some, it is a beautiful piece of jewelry, befitting for a female to wear, the symbol of ownership complete and full. To others, this is yet another symbol of barbarianism. As with branding, the collar is another aesthetic device, or means, by which a female is transformed psychologically and behaviorally into her slavery.

"It is said, in a Gorean proverb, that a man, in his heart, desires freedom, and that a woman, in her belly, yearns for love. The collar, in its way, answers both needs. The man is most free, owning the slave. He may do what he wishes with her. The woman, on the other hand, being owned, is institutionally and helplessly subject, in her status as slave, to the submissions of love." — Slave Girl of Gor, pages 180-181.

"The brand is to be distinguished from the collar, though both are a designation of slavery. The primary significance of the collar is that it identifies the master and his city. The collar of a given girl may be changed countless times, but the brand continues throughout to bespeak her status." — Outlaw of Gor, page 187.

"To be sure, there is something about the collar which transforms a woman, internally as well as externally, its incredible effects manifesting themselves both psychologically and behaviorally, and even in such things as the subtlety, delicacy and helplessness of her tonguework." — Vagabonds of Gor, page 365.

"The slave collar, of one form or another, band or bar, or chain and lock, is almost universal on Gor for slaves. On the other hand, some masters use a bracelet or anklet. Too, the slaves of others may wear as little to denote their conditions as a ring, the significance of which may be known to few. The bracelet, the anklet and the ring are often worn by women whose slavery is secret, largely hidden from the world, though not of course, from themselves or their masters. There are many points in favor of the collar, besides those of history and tradition. The throat is not only an ideal aesthetic showplace for the symbol of bondage, displaying it beautifully and prominently, but one which, because of the location, at the throat, and the widths involved, is excellently secure. It also makes it easier to leash the slave. Too, it makes it easier to chain or rope her to various holding devices such as rings." — Magicians of Gor, page 256-257.

So what is the purpose of the collar? To demean a female, make her feel small and weak compared to a male? To signify ownership solely? To a female slave, who has found her true master, the collar does not demean, but fills the woman with much pride and security. Free women view the collar much differently, however.

The collar has four (4) common purposes.

• the collar designates the wearer that she (or he) is a slave;
• the collar impresses upon the wearer their slavery;
• the collar identifies the owner of the slave;
• the collar makes it easier to leash the slave.

"What is the common purpose of a collar?"
       "The collar has four common purposes, Master," she said. "First, it visibly designates me as a slave, as a brand might not, if it should be covered by clothing. Second, it impresses my slavery upon me. Thirdly, it identifies my master. Fourthly — fourthly —" "Fourthly," she said, "it makes it easier to leash me." — Explorers of Gor, page 80.

"An additional utility of the collar, though it did not count as one of its four common purposes, was that it made it easier to put the girl in various ties. For example, one can use it to tie her hands before her throat, or at the sides or back of her neck. One can use it with, say, rope or chain, to fasten girls together. One can tie her feet to her collar, and so on. If the feet are tied to the collar the knot is always in the front, so that the pressure will be against the back of the girl's neck and not the front. The purpose of such a tie is to hold the slave, not choke her. Gorean men are not clumsy in their binding of women." — Explorers of Gor, page 80.

Types of Collars

Collars on Gor come in many forms, from simple string, to fanciful leather straps, to metal of steel or even of gold. Collars may be the color of the metal itself, or brightly painted, as is often found in slave houses and paga taverns, or jeweled as in the case of a Ubar's favored slave or that of a dancing collar. Collars may never be removed by a slave; they are made as such. There are also collars designed for specific uses, such as message collars and shipping collars. The most common collar for the female slave, however, is a metal collar with a 7-pin lock, one pin for each letter in the word "Kajirae." Though the quote says "kajira," which has only 6 letters, either John Norman made a boo-boo, or he was referring to the plural of the word "kajirae" which indeed does have 7 letters.

"The common female slave collar on Gor has a seven pin lock. There are, incidentally, seven letters in the most common Gorean expression for female slave, Kajira." — Raiders of Gor, page 294.

"… As I had expected about her white throat there was fastened, graceful and gleaming, the slender, close-fitting collar of a Gorean slave girl. It was a collar like most others, of steel, secured with a small, heavy lock which closed behind the girl's neck…" — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 35.

"The steel of a Gorean slave collar is not made to be removed at a girl's pleasure." — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 41.

"These collars are normally measured individually to the girl as is most slave steel. The collar is regarded not simply as a designation of slavery and a means for identifying the girl's owner and his city, but as an ornament as well. Accordingly the Gorean master is often extremely concerned that the fit of the graceful band will be neither too tight nor too loose. The collar is normally worn snugly, indeed so much so that if the snap of a slave leash is used the girl will normally suffer some discomfort." — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 158.

"I had seen few collars on Gor, but I had learned from Eta that there was great variety among them. They ranged from simple bands of iron, hammered about a girl's throat, her head held down on an anvil, to bejeweled, wondrously wrought, close-locking circlets befitting the preferred slave of a Ubar; such collars, whether worn by a kitchen slave or the prize beauty of a Ubar, had two things in common; they cannot be removed by the girl and they mark her as slave. In the matter of collars, as in all things, Goreans commonly exhibit good taste and aesthetic sense." — Slave Girl of Gor, page 215.

"She held the opened collar before me. It was slender but sturdy, steel, enameled with white, decorated with tiny flowers in pink, a collar suitable for a woman's girl. There was printing in the enamel, tiny, exact." — Slave Girl of Gor, page 309.

"About my neck she had coiled and tied a length of marsh vine." — Raiders of Gor, page 27.

"In the cities," she asked, "they have slave collars, do they not?"
       "Yes," I said.
       Then she had taken a length of marsh vine from a packet on her rence craft. Then, looking up into my eyes, smiling, close to me, her arms about my neck, she insolently wound the vine five times about my neck, and knotted it in front. "Now," she said, "you have a collar."
       "Yes," I said, "I have a collar." — Raiders of Gor, page 29.

"We no longer kept them in a throat coffle. But we had, about the throat of each, wrapped, five times, a length of binding fiber, and knotted it, that this, serving as collar, might mark them as slave." — Raiders of Gor, page 101.

The Collars

Bead Collars of the Red Savages
A beaded leather collared used by the red savages of the Barrens; each bear a disctinctive pattern of beading unique to mark an individual's possessions. The collars are tied closed, using a signature knot in a given tribal style.

"Numbly I had unbuckled my sword belt. I had wrapped the belt about the sword and knife sheath, and had given the belt, and these objects, to Grunt. I had disarmed myself. In moments Canka's beaded collar had been tied on my neck. I had become his slave." — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 15.

"I dismounted and stripped, removing also the moccasins which Canka had given me. I then stood before Hci's kaiila. I wore now only the beaded leather collar which had been placed on my some two weeks ago. It was about an inch and a half high. It had a distinctive pattern of beading. The colors and design of the beading marked it as Canka's. It is common among red savages to use such designs, such devices, to mark their possessions. A collar of identical design, back in the village, was worn by the lovely, red-haired girl, the former Miss Millicent Aubrey-Wells, who had so taken the fancy of the young warrior. Both of our collars were tied shut. The knots on them had been retied personally by Canka, after our arrival at his camp. This is done, in effect, with a signature knot, in a given tribal style, known only to the tier. This gives him a way of telling if the knot has been untied and retied in his absence. It is death, incidentally, for a slave to remove such a collar without permission. It can be understood then that slaves of the red savages do not tamper with their collars. They keep them on." — Blood Brothers of Gor, pages 15-16.

Bondage Strings of the Innuit
Common form of collaring a slave by the Innuit, consisting of leather strings knotted in sets of four. In lieu of the usual inscription, it is the knotting pattern, unique to each master, which serves to identify the slave's owner.

"Under the tether on the throat of each there was tied an intricately knotted set of four leather strings. In such a way the red hunters identify their animals. The owner of the beast may be determined from the knotting of the strings." — Beasts of Gor, page 153.

"She was dressed, save for her bondage strings, in much the same way as most of the women of the red hunters, bare-breasted, with high boots and panties." — Beasts of Gor, pages 196-197.

"Many of the women of the red hunters, too, went about so, inside and outside the tents, in the warmer weather. They of course, being free, did not have leather, like Arlene, or bondage strings, like Thimble and Thistle, at their throats." — Beasts of Gor, page 185.

"He tied bondage strings on her throat." — Beasts of Gor, page 219.

Cord Collars of the Rencers
A type of collar sometimes used in the Delta, by Rencers, consisting of simple rence cord to which an identification tag is attached.

"On some rence islands I have heard, incidentally, that the men have revolted and enslaved their women. These are usually kept in cord collars, with small disks attached to them, indicating the names of their masters." — Vagabonds of Gor, page 341.

Iron Collar of the North
Common collar of the Torvaldslanders, made of black iron, with a ring welded to it, riveted about her neck.

A bond-maid thrust through the crowd. "Does my Jarl not remember Gunnhild?" she asked. She whimpered, and slipped to his side, holding him, lifting her lips to kiss him on the throat, beneath the beard. About her neck, riveted, was a collar of black iron, with a welded ring, to which a chain might be attached. — Marauders of Gor, page 85.

Over the anvil lay the joining ends of the two pieces of the collar. The inside of the collar was separated by a quarter of an inch from her neck. I saw the fine hairs on the back of her neck. On one part of the collar are two, small, flat, thick rings. On the other is a single such ring. These rings, when the wings of the collar are joined, are aligned, those on one wing on top and bottom, that on the other in the center. They fit closely together, one on top of the other. The holes in each, about three-eighths of an inch in diameter, too, of course, are perfectly aligned. The smith, with his thumb, forcibly, pushed a metal rivet through the three holes. The rivet fit snugly. "Do not move your head, Bondmaid," said the smith. Then, with great blows of the iron hammer, he riveted the iron collar about her throat. — Marauders of Gor, page 87.

"You see, my Jarl," said she, lifting her head proudly and pulling her rich, glistening robes some inches down upon her shoulders, "I wear the collar of Ivar Forkbeard." The collar of black iron, with its heavy hinge, its riveted closure, its projecting ring of iron, for a chain or padlock, showed black, heavy, against the whiteness of her lovely throat. — Marauders of Gor, page 200.

Kur Collar
A high, thick-leather collar used by the Kurii for their slaves.

"I saw the Kur who held the leashes of the caught bondmaids dragging the girls from the hall. He held the leashes, several in each hand, of more than forty catches. The collars were of thick leather, with metal insert locks, flat metal bolts slipping, locking, into spring catches; when closed, two rectangular metal plates adjoined; sewn into each collar was a light, welded metal ring; about this was closed the leash snap; the action of the leash snap was mechanical but, apparently, it was beyond the strength of a woman to open it. The leashes were some fifteen feet in length, allowing in this radius one Kur to hold several captives at once." — Marauders of Gor, page 211.

"Behind him stood a blond slave girl, naked, her hair falling to her waist. I gathered she belonged to him. "We are victorious!" said the man to her, brandishing the ring. Over her iron collar she wore a heavy leather Kur collar, high, heavily sewn, with its large ring." — Marauders of Gor, page 261.

From my pouch I drew forth a leather Kur collar, with its lock, and, sewn in leather, its large, rounded ring. "What is it?" she asked, apprehensively. I took it behind her neck, and then, closing it about her throat, thrust the large, flattish bolt, snapping it, into the locking breech. The two edges of metal, bordered by the leather, fitted closely together. The collar is some three inches in height. The girl must keep her chin up. "It is the collar of a Kur cow," I told her. — Marauders of Gor, page 275.

Lock Collar
Any of the varieties of collars which require securing closed around a slave's neck by the use of a lock. It is often considered amongst slave girls, a highly valued collar.

"The small, heavy lock on a girl's slave collar, incidentally, may be of several varieties, but almost all are cylinder locks, either of the pin or disk variety. In a girl's collar lock there would be either six pins or six disks, one each, it is said, for each letter in the Gorean word for female slave, Kajira…" — Assassin of Gor, page 51.

"The girl knelt at the side of the board. She was clad in a brief bit of diaphanous scarlet silk, slave silk. Her beauty was well betrayed. Her collar, a lock collar, was yellow, enameled." — Hunters of Gor, page 8.

"A simple band of iron had been hammered about her neck by one of the metal workers in the employ of Samos. She was poor stuff, not fit for a lock collar." — Tribesmen of Gor, page 9.

"She wore a one-piece tunic of rep-cloth, cut high at the thighs, to better reveal them, her steel collar, which was a lock collar, and her brand." — Explorers of Gor, page 9.

Peasant Collar
The peasants, a poor folk, generally collar their slaves using a coarse rope.

"He pointed to a peasant's slave, who stood nearby… About her throat, looped twice, knotted, was a length of coarse rope. I looked at the rope. It was snug on her throat. It was thus that Thurnus marked his girls." — Slave Girl of Gor, page 156-157.

Plate Collar
Collar in which a flat steel band is hammered around a slave's throat, thus needing no locking device.

Ho-Tu grinned. "Call the smith!" said he to the guard. "Plate collars!" — Assassin of Gor, page 153.
      When the smith arrived, he took, from a rack in the wall, two narrow, straight bars of iron, not really plates but narrow cubes, about a half inch in width and fifteen inches in length. The girls were then motioned to the anvil. First Virginia and then Phyllis laid their heads and throats on the anvil, head turned to the side, their hands holding the anvil, and the smith, expertly, with his heavy hammer and a ringing of iron, curved the collar about their throats; a space of about a quarter of an inch was left between the two ends of the collar; the ends matched perfectly; both Virginia and Phyllis stepped away from the anvil feeling the metal on their throats, both now collared slave girls. — Assassin of Gor, pages 153-154.

"… my head was placed across an anvil and, about my throat, was hammered a simple plate collar." — Raiders of Gor, page 293.

"I could see the heavy metal collar hammered about the man's neck, not uncommon in a male slave. His head would have been placed across the anvil, and the metal curved about his neck with great blows." — Hunters of Gor, page 13.

Turian Collar
Common collar worn by the slaves of the Wagon People, as well as slaves in Turia and in other regions of Gor.

"She wore bells locked on both wrists, and on both ankles, thick cuffs and anklets, each with a double line of bells, fastened by steel and key. She wore the Turian collar, rather than the common slave collar. The Turian collar lies loosely on the girl, a round ring; it fits so loosely that, when grasped in a man's fist, the girl can turn within it; the common Gorean collar, on the other hand, is a flat, snugly fitting steel band. Both collars lock in the back, behind the girl's neck. The Turian collar is more difficult to engrave, but it, like the flat collar, will bear some legend assuring that the girl, if found, will be promptly returned to her master." — Nomads of Gor, page 29.

"The Turian collar, too, a looser ring of steel, large enough for a man's fist to grasp on the girl's throat, was occasionally seen now in the northern cities." — Captive of Gor, page 160.

"He went to his desk and, from one of its drawers, drew forth an opened slave collar. It was unlike most of the Gorean collars. It was a Turian collar. Most Gorean collars, decorated or not, are basically a flat, circular band, hinged, which locks snugly about the girl's neck. The Turian collar, on the other hand, fits more loosely and resembles a hinged ring, looped about the throat. A man can get his fingers inside a Turian collar and use it to drag the girl to him. It does not fit loosely enough to permit its being slipped, of course. Gorean collars are not made to be slipped by the girls who wear them." — Slave Girl of Gor, pages 251-252.

Specialty Collars

Capture Collars
Gorean men do not carry a supply of collars on them, contrary to popular belief on various chat "wilds" rooms. Quite the contrary, oftentimes the man is left to create a collar made from available materials at the site of capture, such as binding fiber.

"I took a length of binding fiber and knotted it, with capture knots, about her throat. It was her collar. Too, the capture knots, those of a warrior, would serve to identify her as mine in the north." — Beasts of Gor, pages 183-184.

Coffle Collar
The various types of collars used for a coffle (chain of slaves).

"The collars had front and back rings, were hinged on the right and locked on the left. This is a familiar form of coffle collar. The lengths of chain between the collars were about three to four feet long. Some were attached to the collar rings by the links themselves, opened and then reclosed about the about the rings, and some of them were fastened to the collar rings by snap rings. Another common form of coffle collar has its hinge in the front and closes behind the back of the neck, like the common slave collar. It has a single collar ring, usually on the right, through which, usually, a single chain is strung. Girls are spaced on such a chain, usually, by snap rings. An advantage of the first sort of coffle arrangement is that the chain may, as girls are added or subtracted, be shortened or lengthened. A chain which has been borne by fifty girls would, of course, be impracticably heavy for five or six. An advantage of the second arrangement is that girls can be easily spaced on the chain, more or less closely together, and can be conveniently removed from, and added to, the chain. Which chaining arrangement is best for a given set of girls depends, of course, on the particular intentions and purposes of their master." — Savages of Gor, pages 135-136.

Dancing Collar
Often a jeweled collar is given to a slave to wear over the collar of her owner while she dances; traditional in the Tahari.

"She wore a golden metal dancing collar about her throat, golden chains looped from her wrists, gracefully to the collar ring, then fell to her ankles; there are varieties of Tahari dancing chains; she wore the oval and collar; briefly, in readying a girl, after she has been belled and silked, and bangled, and has been made up, and touched with slave perfume, she kneels, head down in a large oval of light gleaming chain, extending her wrists before her; fastened at the sides of the top of the oval are two wrist rings, at the sides of the lower loop of the oval two ankle rings; the oval is then pulled inward and the wrist and ankle rings fastened on the slave; her throat is then locked in the dancing collar, which has, under the chin, an open snap ring: with the left hand the oval is then gathered together, so the two strands of chain lie in the palm of the left hand, whence, lifted, they are placed inside the snap ring, which is then snapped shut, and locked; the two strands of chain flow freely in the snap ring; accordingly, though the girl's wrists and ankles are fastened at generous, though inflexible limits from one another, usually about a yard for the wrists and about eighteen inches for the ankles, much of the chain may be played through, and back through, the collar ring; this permits a skillful girl a great deal of beautiful chain work: the oval and collar is traditional in the Tahari; it enhances a girl's beauty; it interferes little with her dance, though it imposes subtle, sensuous limits upon it; a good dancer uses these limits, exploiting them deliciously; for example, she may extend a wrist, subtly holding the chain at her waist with her other hand; the chain slides through the ring, yet short of the expected movement; the chain stops her wrist; her wrist rebels, but is helpless; it must yield; her head falls; she is a chained slave girl." — Tribesmen of Gor, page 215.

"I watched her, in the training sand, dancing to hide drums, naked, in slave bracelets and jeweled dancing collar." — Captive of Gor, page 174.

Identificatory Slave Bracelet
In lieu of a collar, a small metal bracelet is placed around the wrist of a slave; generally used by owners of lure slaves.

"The slave looked up at me while the retainer removed his chains, and the identificatory slave bracelet, of silver, which he had worn on his left wrist." — Magicians of Gor, page 430.

"He did so, and I locked a silver slave bracelet, resembling the one he had previously worn, on his left wrist. On this bracelet, in fine, tiny lettering, were the words "I belong to Tarl of Port Kar." — Magicians of Gor, page 441.

Message Collar
A high, thick leather collar which is sewn around a person's neck; sewn inside are messages.

"There was, however, literally sewn about her neck, a thick, high leather collar." — Nomads of Gor, page 35.

"Did you note the collar she wore?" I asked. He had not seemed to show much interest in the high, thick leather collar that the girl had had sewn about her neck.
       "Of course," he said.
       "I myself," I said, "have never seen such a collar."
       "It is a message collar," said Kamchak. "Inside the leather, sewn within, will be a message." — Nomads of Gor, page 40.

Retaining Collar
A heavy, thick collar used during the transfer of ownership of a slave primarily as a means of fastening a slave to a retaining ring while business is conducted; this collar fits over the small, lighter temporary collar. See also: "Temporary Collar."

"There were two collars on my neck," she said, "a light, temporary slave collar, identifying me as a slave provisionally in the custody of magistrates, and, over it, a retaining collar, that by means of which I was fastened to the wall. … The temporary collar was flat and close-fitting. It was the first collar I had ever worn. It was put on me after my branding. The retaining collar, too, was close fitting, scarcely less so, it seemed, than the collar it covered. It was heavy and thick. The chain to it was heavy too, with thick links. It was about four feet long. It was fastened to a stout ring in the wall, about a foot above the floor." — Magicians of Gor, page 309.

Shipping Collar
Collar worn by slave girls being transported as cargo on slave ships.

"I have a collar here," said Ulafi, lifting a steel slave collar. It was a shipping collar. It had five palms on it, and the sign of Schendi, the shackle and scimitar. The girl who wore it would be clearly identified as a portion of Ulafi's cargo. — Explorers of Gor, page 73.

"What sort of collar do you wear?"
       "A shipping collar, Master. It shows that I am a portion of the cargo of the Palms of Schendi." — Explorers of Gor, page 79.

Sirik Collar
A collar which is sometimes placed on a slave as punishment; a very uncomfortable collar, as it is very close-fitting and will not fit over her regular collar. The regular collar must be thrust fully upwards on the girl's throat, so that the sirik collar may be place beneath it.

"Put that one," said Ulafi to a seaman, indicating the bound, blond-haired girl, "in sirik and chain her to a ring on the wharf. We will not have her run away again, as she did in Port Kar." She was pulled to her feet by the chain at her throat, that attached to the sirik collar. The sirik collar was close-fitting and would not, like a work collar, fit over the shipping collar. The shipping collar was thrust up her throat, under her chin, where it would be easy to check. The sirik collar then had been locked about her throat below it. — Explorers of Gor, page 120.

Temporary Collar
A light, flat, close-fitting collar utilized during provisional ownership, such as transferring ownership from one person to another. This collar has no means by which a slave may be held chain, therefore a retaining collar is used in conjunction for this purpose. See also: "Retaining Collar."

"There were two collars on my neck," she said, "a light, temporary slave collar, identifying me as a slave provisionally in the custody of magistrates, and, over it, a retaining collar, that by means of which I was fastened to the wall. … The temporary collar was flat and close-fitting. It was the first collar I had ever worn. It was put on me after my branding. The retaining collar, too, was close fitting, scarcely less so, it seemed, than the collar it covered. It was heavy and thick. The chain to it was heavy too, with thick links. It was about four feet long. It was fastened to a stout ring in the wall, about a foot above the floor." — Magicians of Gor, page 309.

Work Collars
Collar worn over a girl's regular collar while she works on a labor chain.

"The two girls, on their hands and knees on the deck, linked together by a gleaming neck chain, some five feet in length, attached to two steel work collars, these fitted over their regular collars, looked up." — Explorers of Gor, page 98.

Collar Accourtements

Collar sleeves Silken sleeves which are used in few places, slipped over collars usually for the purpose of 'matching' the collar to the slave's garments. "What is this?" I asked. "The silk?" she asked. "That is a collar stocking, or a collar sleeve. They may be made of many different materials. In a cooler climate they are sometimes of velvet. In most cities they are not used." ---Kajira of Gor, 3:46 "The purpose of the collar sleeve is to hide the collar," I said. "No, Mistress," she said. "Surely the collar's presence within the sleeve is sufficiently evident." "Yes," I said, "I can see now that it is." The girl smiled. "The yellow fits in nicely with the yellow of your belt," I said, "and the yellow flowers on the tunic." "Yes, Mistress," smiled the girl. The sleeve I saw now could function rather like an accessory, perhaps adding to, or completing, an ensemble. It did, in this case, at least, make its contribution to the girl's appearance. "The belt is binding fiber, Mistress," said the girl, turning before me. "It may be used to tie or leash me, or even, coiled, to whip me." ---Kajira of Gor, 3:48 Leather leash collar Leather collar slipped over the slave's formal collar, for the purpose of leashing. He then turned her about and put a leather collar leash collar, with its attached lead, now dangling before her, on her neck. ---Magicians of Gor, 2:33

Male Slaves and Collars

The most common collar for male slaves is the simple plate collar, rather than the lock collar. However, in the case of the locked collar, often the lock is a cylinder type lock.

"The small, heavy lock on a girl's slave collar, incidentally, may be of several varieties, but almost all are cylinder locks, either of the pin or disk variety. In a girl's collar lock there would be either six pins or six disks, one each, it is said, for each letter in the Gorean word for female slave, Kajira; the male slave, or Kajirus, seldom has a locked collar; normally a band of iron is simply hammered about his neck…" — Assassin of Gor, page 51.

Collaring and Ceremonies

In the books of John Norman, it is very rare to see a ceremony attached to the collaring of a female slave. Generally, women who are already slaves are purchased or captured, and the collar of her new owner snapped upon her without incident; she is simply an animal having a collar attached to her. The ceremony as most know it, is done, in the books, in the event that a free woman either voluntarily submits or is forced into slavery, and thus must acknowledge vocally her submission as a slave. This is due for practicality, in forcing the woman to realize she is no longer free, and for legality. There are, however, exceptions on which I will touch upon.

Here is an example of a master formally collaring his slave.

"Kneel," I said, drawing out the collar. Talena blanched, but, as Kazrak chuckled, she knelt before me, her fists clenched. "Read it," I ordered.
       Talena looked at the engraved collar and shook with rage. "Read it," I said. "Out loud."
       She read the simple legend aloud: "I AM THE PROPERTY OF TARL OF BRISTOL."
       I snapped the slender steel collar on her throat, placing the key in my pouch. — Tarnsman of Gor, page 127.

Following is an example of such an exchange of hands, the slave going from one owner to another.

"She is yours," he said. He took his strap off her throat, and unbound her hands. "Submit," I told her. She knelt before me, back on her heels, arms extended, head down, between her arms, wrists crossed, as though for binding. — Explorers of Gor, page 74.

Here is an example of the typical Torvald collaring, the men home after their voyages and raids with their booty of women. As in most collarings, there is no ceremony involved.

"Heat the irons!" called the Forkbeard.
       "They are hot!" laughed a brawny man, in leather apron, standing on the dock. The girls shuddered. They would be branded.
       "Bring the anvil to the branding log!" said the Forkbeard. They knew then they would wear collars."It is there!" laughed the brawny fellow, doubtless a smith. — Marauders of Gor, page 83.
       "Look up at me," said the smith. The slender, blond girl, tears in her eyes, looked up at him. He opened the hinged collar of black iron, about a half inch in height. He put it about her throat. It also contained a welded ring, suitable for the attachment of a chain."Put your head beside the anvil," he said. He took her hair and threw it forward, and thrust her neck against the left side of the anvil. Over the anvil lay the joining ends of the two pieces of the collar. The inside of the collar was separated by a quarter of an inch from her neck. saw the fine hairs on the back of her neck. On one part of the collar are two, small, flat, thick rings. On the other is a single such ring. These rings, when the wings of the collar are joined, are aligned, those on one wing on top and bottom, that on the other in the center. They fit closely together, one on top of the other. The holes in each, about three-eighths of an inch in diameter, too, of course, are perfectly aligned. The smith, with his thumb, forcibly, pushed a metal rivet through the three holes. The rivet fits snugly."Do not move your head, Bond-maid," said the smith. Then, with great blows of the iron hammer, he riveted the iron collar about her throat. A man then pulled her by the hair from the anvil and threw her to one side. She lay there weeping, a naked bondmaid, marked and collared. — Marauders of Gor, page 87.

As previously mentioned, there are collaring ceremonies of a special sort. One such ceremony is in combination with the rite of a young tarnsman, who must make his first capture and bring her home for collaring, thus becoming his first slave girl. This is referred to as The Feast of Collaring.

"… it is often a young tarnsman's first mission, the securing of a female, preferably free, from an enemy city, to enslave, that his sisters may be relieved of the burden of serving him; indeed, his sisters often encourage him to be prompt in the capture of an enemy wench that their own tasks may be made the lighter; when the young tarnsman, if successful, returns home from his capture flight, a girl bound naked across the saddle, his sisters welcome her with delight, and with great enthusiasm prepare her for the Feast of Collaring." — Assassin of Gor, page 159.

"Then, to the festive music of flutes and drums, the girl kneels. The young man approaches her, bearing a slave collar, its engraving proclaiming his name and city. The music grows more intense, mounting to an overpowering, barbaric crescendo, which stops suddenly, abruptly. The room is silent, absolutely silent, except for the decisive click of the collar lock. It is a sound the girl will never forget. As soon as the lock closes, there is a great shout, congratulating, saluting the young man. He returns to his place among the tables that line the low-ceilinged chamber, hung with glowing brass lamps. He sits in the midst of his family, his closest well-wishers, his sword comrades, cross-legged on the floor in the Gorean fashion behind the long, low wooden table, laden with food, which stands at the head of the room." — Outlaw of Gor, page 52.

Without a doubt, the most beautiful of all the collaring "ceremonies" of Gor is the very elaborate, very sensual, collaring ceremony of Treve. The ceremony, in basics, is much like a wedding ceremony of Earth.

This was the day of my collaring. I was not permitted cosmetics. Kneeling within, slave girls preparing me, I looked through the tied-back opening of the tent of the women… I had been coached in the simple collaring ceremony of Treve. Ena, the high girl, who wore the garment of white, had not been much pleased that I did not have a caste, and could not claim a familiar city as my place of origin. Accordingly, it had been decided that I should identify myself by my actual city, and by my barbarian title and name. … Yesterday, by slave girls, under the direction of Ena, who was high girl, I had been washed and combed, and then fed. The food had been good, bread and bosk meat, roasted, and cheese, and larma fruit. I, famished from my trials in the wilderness, fed well. I had even been given a swallow of Ka-la-na wine, which exquisite beverage I had not tasted since the time of my capture, long ago, by Verna outside of Targo's compound. After I had been washed and combed, and fed, Ena had said to me, "You have the freedom of the camp, if you wish." Ena went to a chest, opened it, and drew forth a folded piece of striped rep-cloth, a rectangle some two and a half by four feet… she wrapped the piece of cloth about me, snugly, and fastened it with a pin behind my right shoulder blade. She then fastened it again, with anther pin, behind my right hip. — Captive of Gor, pages 269-271.
       I knelt, naked, on the scarlet rug in the tent of the women. I had been washed, and my hair had been combed. The slave girl replaced the glass stopper in a small, ornate bottle of Torian scent. "I shall touch you again," she said, "twice, before you are led forth." Another girl, one of four near me, besides Ena, again knelt behind me and again began to pass the narrow, purple horn comb through my hair… I could smell the scent of the perfume. It was superior to any I had ever worn on Earth… I waited. For better than a quarter of an Ahn I knelt, waiting. Suddenly the girl at the tent flap whispered excitedly, gesturing back toward us, "Prepare her! Prepare her!"
       "Stand," said Ena. I did so. I gasped as they brought forth a long, exquisite garment, hooded, of shimmering scarlet silk. Behind me, swiftly, one of the girls wound my hair into a single braid and then, coiling it, fastened it at the back of my head with four pins. The pins would be undone by Rask of Treve. The garment was placed upon me. The hood fell at my back. The garment was sleeveless. "Place your hands behind your back and cross your wrists," said Ena. She had, in her hand, an eighteen-inch strip of purple binding fiber, about half an inch in width, flat, set with jewels. I felt my wrists lashed behind my back. Ena then gestured to the girl with the small, ornate bottle. The girl removed the stopper and, quickly, again, touched me with the scent, behind each ear, a tiny drop on her finger. I smelled the heady perfume. My heart was beating rapidly. Then Ena again approached me. This time she carried, coiled in her hand, some seven or eight feet of slender, coarse rope, simple camp rope. She knotted one end of this about my neck, tightly enough that I felt the knot. My wrists would be bound by jeweled binding fiber but I would be led forth on a simple camp rope… I turned my head to one side. Ena drew the hood up from my back and over my head.
       "They are ready!" said the girl at the entrance to the tent.
       "Lead her forth," said Ena. I was led through the camp, and, here and there, some men and slave girls followed me. I came to a clearing, before the tent of Rask of Treve. He was waiting there. On my tether I was led before him. I looked at him, frightened. We stood facing one another, I about five feet from him.
       "Remove her tether," he said. Ena, who had accompanied me, unknotted the rope, and handed it to one of the girls. I wore the long, scarlet garment, hooded, sleeveless. My hands were bound behind my back with binding fiber. "Remove her bonds," said Rask of Treve. In his belt I saw that he had thrust an eighteen-inch strip of binding fiber. It was not jeweled. It was about three quarters of an inch in thickness; it was of flat, supple leather, plain and brown, of the sort commonly used by tarnsmen for binding female prisoners. Ena untied my wrists. Rask and I regarded one another. He approached me. With one hand he brushed back my hood, revealing my head and hair. I stood very straight. Carefully, one by one, he removed the four pins, handing them to one of the girls at the side. My hair fell about my shoulders, and he smoothed it over my back. One of the girls, she with the purple horn comb, combed the hair, arranging it… Rask of Treve now stood some ten feet from me. He regarded me.
       "Remove her garment," he said. Ena and one of the girls from the tent parted the garment and let it fall about my ankles.
       "Step before me naked," said Rask of Treve. I did so. We faced one another, not speaking, he with his blade, and in his leather. I with nothing, stripped at his command. "Submit," he said.
       I could not disobey him. I fell to my knees before him, resting back on my heels, extending my arms to him, wrists crossed, as though for binding, my head lowered, between my arms. I spoke in a clear voice. "I, Miss Elinor Brinton, of New York City, to the Warrior, Rask, of the High City of Treve, herewith submit myself as a slave girl. At his hands I accept my life and my name, declaring myself his to do with as he pleases."Suddenly I felt my wrists lashed swiftly, rudely, together. I drew back my wrists in fear. They were already bound! They were bound with incredible tightness. I had been bound by a tarnsman. I looked up at him in fear. I saw him take an object from a warrior at his side. It was an opened, steel slave collar. He held it before me. "Read the collar," said Rask of Treve.
       "I cannot," I whispered. "I cannot read." I felt so ashamed. I regarded the engraving on the collar, tiny, in neat, cursive script. I could not read it.
       "Read it to her," said Rask of Treve to Ena.
       "It says," said Ena, "— I am the property of Rask of Treve." I said nothing. "Do you understand?" asked Ena.
       "Yes," I said. "Yes!"
       Now, with his two hands, he held the collar about my neck, but he did not yet close it. I was looking up at him. My throat was encircled by the collar, he holding it, but the collar was not yet shut. My eyes met his. His eyes were fierce, amused, mine were frightened. My eyes pleaded for mercy. I would receive none. The collar snapped shut. There was a shout of pleasure from the men and girls about. I heard hands striking the left shoulder in Gorean applause. Among the warriors, the flat of sword blades and the blades of spears rang on shields. I closed my eyes, shuddering. I opened my eyes. I could not hold up my head. I saw before me the dirt, and the sandals of Rask of Treve. Then I remembered that I must speak one more line. I lifted my head, tears in my eyes. "I am yours, Master," I said. He lifted me to my feet, one hand on each of my arms. My wrists were bound before my body. I wore his collar. He put his head to the left side of my face, and then to the right. He inhaled the perfume. Then he stood there, holding me. I looked up at him. Inadvertently my lips parted and I, standing on my toes, lifted my head, that I might delicately touch with my lips those of my master. But he did not bend to meet my lips. His arms held me from him. "Put her in a work tunic," he said, "and send her to the shed." — Captive of Gor, pages 280-284.

Rite of Submission

And now, some words directly from the works of John Norman, regarding free women and the rite of submission.

"It is appropriate that I be enslaved," she said.
       "Why?" he asked.
       "Because," she said, "in the deepest heart and belly of me I am a slave."
       "Pronounce yourself slave," said Samos…
       "I am a slave," she said, pronouncing herself slave.
       She was now on her hands and knees, naked on the tiles, before the table. She looked wildly at Samos. "See the slave!" laughed more than one of the slave girls, pointing at her. They were not reprimanded. The girl, frightened, looked from face to face. The words had been spoken. They could not now be unspoken. She was now rightless, only a nameless animal, incapable of doing anything whatsoever to qualify or alter her status.
       …It had been within the context of his capture rights that she had, as a freewoman, of her own free will, pronounced herself a formula of enslavement. Automatically then, in virtue of the context, she became his. The law is clear on this. The matter is more subtle when the woman is not within a context of capture rights. Here the matter differs from city to city. In some cities, a woman may not, with legal recognition, submit herself to a specific man as a slave, for in those cities that is interpreted as placing at least a temporary qualification on the condition of slavery which condition, once entered into, all cities agree, is absolute. In such cities then, the woman makes herself a slave, unconditionally. It is then up to the man in question whether or not he will accept her as his slave. In this matter he will do as he pleases. In any event, she is by then a slave, and only that.
       In other cities, and in most cities, on the other hand, a free woman may, with legal tolerance, submit herself as a slave to a specific man. If he refuses her, she is then still free. If he accepts her, she is then, categorically, a slave, and he may do with her as he pleases, even selling her or giving her away, or slaying her, if he wishes. Here we might note a distinction between laws and codes. In the codes of the warriors, if a warrior accepts a woman as a slave, it is prescribed that, at least for a time, an amount of time up to his discretion, she be spared. If she should be the least bit displeasing, of course, or should prove recalcitrant in even a tiny way, she may immediately be disposed of.
       It should be noted that this does not place a legal obligation on the warrior. It has to do, rather, with the proprieties of the codes. If a woman not within a clear context of rights, such as capture rights, house rights, or camp rights, should pronounce herself slave, simplicitor, then she is subject to claim. These claims may be explicit, as in branding, binding and collaring, or as in the uttering of a claimancy formula, such as, "I own you," "You are mine," or "You are my slave," or implicit, as in, for example, permitting the slave to feed from your hand or follow you. — Players of Gor, pages 16-17, 21.

 

 

Special Note

Because of the differences in publishing the books, depending upon whether published in the U.S. or Europe, depending upon whether a first publishing or a Masquerade Books release, page numbers will often vary. All of my quotes are from original, first-printing U.S. publications (see The Books page for a listing of publishers and dates) with the exception of the following books:

• Tarnsman of Gor (2nd Printing, Balantine)
• Outlaw of Gor (11th Printing, Balantine)
• Priest-Kings of Gor (2nd Printing, Balantine)
• Assassin of Gor (10th Printing, Balantine)
• Raiders of Gor (15th Printing, Balantine)
• Captive of Gor (3rd Printing, Balantine)

Disclaimer

These pages are not written for any specific home, but rather as informational pages for those not able to get ahold of the books and read them yourself. Opinions and commentaries are strictly my own personal views, therefore, if you don't like what you are reading — then don't. The information in these pages is realistic to what is found within the books. Many sites have added information, assuming the existences of certain products and practices, such as willowbark and agrimony for healing, and travel to earth and back for the collection of goods. I've explored the books, the flora, the fauna, and the beasts, and have compiled from those mentioned, the probabilities of certain practices, and what vegetation mentioned in the books is suitable for healing purposes, as well as given practicalities to other sorts of roleplaying assumptions.