Silk Slave. Silk slaves are male pleasure slaves owned by free women. They are often chosen for their virility and rugged good looks, though some slave owners prefer silk slaves of a more effeminate variety.
State Slave. Refers to any slave that is owned by the governing body of a province, territory or state.
Whip Slave. A whip slave is one who has been delegated by her Master the authority to punish his other slaves with a whip or similar implement.
Work Slave. A work slave (sometimes referred to as a field slave or stable slave) is a somewhat generic label for any slave whose duties include laboring in the fields, cleaning stables, caring for livestock, or performing other manual labor.
The Gorean Collar
A pretty compelling case could be made that we all owe a great debt to John Norman for being the originator of the notion of collaring as the Master/slave alternative to traditional committed relationships. He was certainly largely responsible for the popularization, if not the origination, of the concept. Our Earthly BDSM culture may recognize only a handful of different collar types, but on the planet Gor, a collar has dozens of practical and symbolic purposes, not the least of which are their aesthetic qualities. In Slave Girl of Gor (1977), John Norman wrote, “In the matter of collars, as in all things, Goreans commonly exhibit good taste and aesthetic sense." Elsewhere in the same work, Norman commented on the emotional utility that a collar may have for both the Master and the slave:
“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.”
(John Norman, Slave Girl of Gor, 1977)
New slaves - particularly slaves brought to Gor from Earth - are made to memorize the customs and cultural lore surrounding the history and purpose of Gorean collars, and are expected to be able to recite them upon her master’s command:
"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, should it be covered by clothing.
Second, it impresses my slavery upon me. Thirdly, it identifies me to my Master.
Fourthly," she said, "it makes it easier to leash me."
(John Norman, Explorers of Gor, 1979)
Categories of Collars
Gorean merchant law defines a collar as anything that is worn about the neck of an individual for the primary purpose of marking the person as a slave, though as we are about to see, they can serve many other purposes, as well. Slave collars are not required by Gorean law, but they are strongly recommended. If a collar bears markings at all, it will typically identify the slave’s owner, and bear the slaves given name.
Gorean collars can be made of just about any material. The most commonly used are steel, leather, rope, cord, and fabric. Gorean collars, like the slaves who wear them, are typically categorized by their utility and purpose. At times, those purposes can be so specialized, that some of the collars described in the novels would have no conceivable counterparts or utility on Earth except, perhaps, as collars which are used solely for role play purposes. On the other hand, many of the most strikingly beautiful and exclusive collar designs on Earth have been inspired by Norman’s colorful descriptions. As you peruse the following list of Gorean collar types, see if you can tell which might be better suited for practical use in the real-world.
Beaded Collar
The beaded collar was typically worn by slaves of the “Red Savages of the Barrens.” Many of these so-called red savages, or Red Hunters, were the direct descendants of American Indians and Inuit who had been brought to Gor hundreds of years ago by the insect-like race of Priest Kings in order to populate the barren planet. The collar itself is described in the following fashion:
“She was barefoot. About her left ankle there was, about two inches high, a beaded cuff, or anklet. Her garb was doubtless intended to suggest the distinctive, humiliating and scandalously brief garment in which red savages are sometimes pleased to place their white slaves. One difference, however, must surely be noted. The red savages do not use steel collars. They usually use high, beaded collars, tied together in the front by a rawhide string. Subtle differences in the styles of collars, and in the knots with which they are fastened on the girls' necks, differentiate the tribes. Within a given tribe the beading, in its arrangements and colors, identifies the particular master. This is a common way, incidentally, for warriors to identify various articles... they own." (John Norman, Savages of Gor, 1982)
Among the Red Hunters who are specifically descended from Inuit, their slaves and animals are identified by an intricately knotted set of four leather strings, similar to a collar. These are called bondage strings and, like the beaded collar, the different types of knots used identify the specific owner.
Capture Collar
The capture collar consists of a loop of chain attached to two wooden handles in such a way that it is easy to block off a slave's air supply as a measure of physical control while maintaining a safe distance. It was described by the author thusly:
"About my throat, closely looped, was a narrow golden chain. It was controlled by two narrow wooden handles, in his hands... It was a girl-capture chain... It is to be distinguished from the standard garrote, which is armed with wire and can cut a throat easily. The standard garrote, of course, is impractical for captures, for the victim, in even a reflexive movement, might cut her own throat."
(John Norman, Savages of Gor, 1982)
Coffle Collar
A coffle is a line of prisoners, chained together. Therefore, a coffle collar is a slave collar with a sturdy ring attached to it which allows a chain to be threaded through the ring in order to control multiple slaves on the same chain. The chain may be permanently attached or removable, depending on the number of slaves in the coffle, and what they will be doing while chained in this fashion.
"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 3 to 4 feet long. Some were attached to the collar rings by the links themselves, opened and then re-closed 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." (John Norman, Savages of Gor, 1982)
Coil Collar
A coil collar is constructed from a coil of marsh vine. The material is flexible and not as sturdy as a collar made of metal, but is useful in establishing the ownership of a slave:
“It was hot, and the coils of the marsh vine about my throat were hot. Beneath the coils my neck was red, and slippery with sweat and dirt. I put my finger in the collar to pull it a bit from my throat.” (John Norman, Raiders of Gor, 1971)
Cord Collar
The cord collar consists of a light cord, which is tied about the slave's throat and has, dangling from it, a small disk which identifies the name of the slave’s master. This type of collar is used in areas of Gor where metal is scarce or too expensive to be used for slave collars:
"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." (John Norman, Vagabonds of Gor, 1987)
Dance Collar
The dance collar is a collar designed primarily for its aesthetic value as adornment for Gorean dancers. It consists primarily of a collar with a largely ornamental light-weight chain attached, which sometimes is also
attached to wrist cuffs. The design varies from region to region and from dancer to dancer:
“A wrist ring was fastened on her right wrist. The long, slender, gleaming chain was fastened to this and, looping down and up, ascended gracefully to a wide chain ring on her collar, through which it freely passed, thence descending, looping down, and ascending, looping up, gracefully, to the left wrist ring. If she were to stand quietly, the palms of her hands on her thighs, the lower portions of the chain, those two dangling loops, would have been about at the level of her kneels, just a little higher. The higher portion of the chain, of course, would be at the collar loop.” (John Norman, Kajira of Gor, 1983)
Kur Collar
The Kurii are an egg-laying, bearlike alien race at war with the insect-like Priest-Kings of Gor. They are described by Norman as weighing 900 pounds, incredibly strong, and having seven clawed fingers on each hand. They occasionally enslave human women, but more often than not, it is for the sole purpose of keeping them as a food source. In fact, the Kurri maintain slaughterhouses just for humans. Some Kurri even like to play with their human food. In Blood Brothers of Gor (1982), a Kurrii is described as swinging a kajira around in circles above his head before finally devouring her. On the bright side, Kur slave collars are considered to be a great way to improve one’s posture:
She approached me. 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. (John Norman, Marauders of Gor, 1975)
Lock Collar
A lock collar is a typical Gorean slave collar which locks at the back of the neck. The lock usually has six pins or six disks within, which have symbolic significance:
"A 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, on each, it is said, for each letter in the Gorean word for slave, Kajira." (John Norman, Assassin of Gor, 1970)
Message Collar
A message collar is a sewn leather collar with a peculiar purpose. The slave that wears it is often presented by her owner as a gift to the recipient of the message:
"Did you note the collar she wore?" 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 Kamback. "Inside the leather sewn within, will be a message." (John Norman, Nomads of Gor, 1969)
Northern Collar
The northern collar is comprised of an unmarked flat black metal which is riveted with a hammer about the neck of a slave:
"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. 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 thumbs, forcibly, pushed a metal rivet through the three holes.” (John Norman, Marauders of Gor, 1975)
Plank Collar
A plank collar consists of a heavy wooden plank which is split lengthwise, with each half containing five semicircular openings. When the two halves are joined, they form wooden stocks for holding five slaves. The assembled plank is then chained down wherever needed:
"The primary holding arrangement for women on the benches, however, [is] not chains. Each place on the bench is fitted with ankle and wrist stocks, and for each bench there is a plank collar, a plank which opens horizontally, each half of which contains five matching, semicircular openings, which, when it is set on pinions, closed, and chained in place, provides thusly five sturdy, wooden enclosures for the small, lovely throats of women. The plank is thick and thus the girl's chins are held high. The plank is further reinforced between each girl with a narrowly curved iron band, the open ends of which are pierced; this is slid tight in its slots, in its metal retainers, about the boards, and secured in place with a four-inch metal pin, which may or may not be locked in place." (John Norman, Savages of Gor, 1982)
Plate Collar
A plate collar is a heavy metal collar that is typically used on males or untrained female slaves as a way of discouraging escape. It is hammered onto the throat and only a blacksmith or skilled metal worker can remove it:
"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." (John Norman, Hunters of Gor, 1974)
Turian Collar
The Turian collar, unlike most collars which fit closely to a slave’s skin, is a round metallic ring that fits so loosely that the slave can turn within it. The Turian collar style is a popular design which is emulated by many real-world practitioners of the Gorean way.
"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... Both collars lock in the back, behind the girl's neck. The Turian collar is more difficult to engrave, but... like the flat collar, will bear some legend assuring that the girl, if found, will be promptly returned to her master." (John Norman, Nomads of Gor, 1969)
Shipping Collar
A shipping collar is a usually a temporary collar used to identify a slave while he or she is in transit as cargo aboard a slave transport ship.
"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."
(John Norman, Explorers of Gor, 1979)
Sleeve Collar
A sleeve collar is one that is constructed from cloth, and is typically used as a covering or liner for the less attractive metallic collar worn by the slave. On rare occasions, the sleeve collar may be worn by itself, without the uncomfortable collar within.
"I reached out, timidly, towards her throat. I touched the object there. "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." (John Norman, Kajira of Gor, 1983)
Collaring, the Gorean Way
The traditions and lore associated with the Gorean custom of collaring slaves were described and expounded upon by John Norman as a recurring theme over the course of all thirty-two Gor novels. The widespread contemporary practice of collaring as a symbol of commitment within the BDSM culture owes a great deal to Norman’s imagination and vision, even though he never advocated that the Gorean culture should be emulated in real-life.
A Gorean collar is symbolic of far more than simply the unbreakable bond between a master and his slave. Gorean tradition celebrates what they consider to be the natural order of things, which includes a man’s inherent dominance over women. According to folklore passed down through countless generations, this natural order was the result of an ancient war
of the sexes:
“In Gorean mythology it is said that there was once a war between men and women and that the women lost, and that the Priest-Kings, not wishing the women to be killed, made them beautiful, but as the price of this gift decreed that they, and their daughters, to the end of time, would be the slaves of men.” (John Norman, Dancer of Gor, 1985)
The actual procedures involved in the collaring of a slave vary widely, depending on the culture, region, type of slave being collared, and the collar itself. At one end of the spectrum, the process is no more sacrosanct than the shoeing of a horse or the branding of a steer might be on Earth, as this passage from “Marauders of Gor” illustrates:
"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.
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.
"Next," called out the Forkbeard.
Weeping, another girl was flung over the branding log.
(John Norman, Marauders of Gor, 1975)
At the other end of the spectrum, slave collarings are far more ceremonial in nature and demonstrative of an emotional bond and commitment between master and slave. The following passage is not only typical of many of the collaring ceremonies described by Norman in his novels but the wording is, in some ways, almost identical to many of the contemporary real-life collaring ceremonies conducted right here on good ol’ planet Earth:
"Assume the posture of female submission, I told her. She did so, kneeling back on her heels, her arms extended, wrists crossed, her head between them, down. She was weeping.
"Repeat after me," I told her. "'I, once Miss Elizabeth Cardwell, of the planet Earth--'"
"I, once Miss Elizabeth Cardwell, of the planet Earth--" she said.
"--herewith submit myself, completely and totally, in all things--”
Domination & Submission: The BDSM Relationship Handbook Page 17