On solid ground? Manumitted slaves, land ownership and registration in eighteenth-century Sri Lanka

Eighteenth-century Sri Lankan manumitted slaves occasionally secured land ownership through colonial-era donations, challenging the assumption that slavery precluded such rights. By analyzing Dutch-language wills (1702–1765) and cross-referencing them with suburban land registers near Colombo and Galle, researchers identified patterns of temporary or permanent land grants to freed individuals. These findings reveal how manumission could confer tangible economic stability, despite colonial constraints. The study also examines the social implications of bureaucratic registration, highlighting tensions between emancipation status and Dutch administrative labeling. This work sheds light on the nuanced intersections of slavery, land tenure, and colonial governance in a pre-industrial society.

Lyna, D. (2024). On solid ground? Manumitted slaves, land ownership and registration in eighteenth-century Sri Lanka. The History of the Family, 29(2), 235–247. https://doi.org/10.1080/1081602x.2024.2331469