5.3: High Slaves

Recently a message board thread was written around the term "High slave".

Through my reading I have seen the term high slave or something to that effect a few times. Usually describing a slave of ‘higher status’, one who is favored or possibly worth more.

The one place I know definitively speaks of high slaves, is in Dancer of Gor:

Upswept hairdos are usually reserved for free women, or high slaves. They are a mark of status. To be sure, one of the reasons for permitting a hairdo of that sort to a slave is the master’s pleasure in undoing it, in loosening it, thus reminding even the high slave that in his arms, ultimately, she, the high slave, is yet a slave, and as much or more that the lowest girl in the most remote village. The loosening of a woman's hair on Gor is an extremely sensuous, meaningful act. "Who loosens her hair?" is a way of asking, in effect, who owns her. p. 112

The general impression that I have always had of high slaves was that they were favored but could be brought low at any point.

For example, Sura in Assassins always seemed an example. She held status, was a trainer, could carry a whip I believe, (been awhile since I read that book), had very nice things in her chambers, if I remember this too it was mentioned she had things that even a FW might envy, the other girls knew she was a ‘high’ slave and yet on occasion she was thrown to the men and reminded that even she with all of her status could be done with as the men wished, and usually the other slaves took some pleasure in seeing her “brought down” to their level.

I don’t know if the term high slave was synonymous with first girl though, first girl was a slave that had authority over other slaves. ((stated due to a question asking if a high slave was similiar to a first girl.))

A high slave may just be a favored slave, or one that has been given much, or allowed much… even the hairstyles and things that a FW may have. Of course, a high slave to one may just be a low slave to another.

Though the term is not explicitly defined within the novels, I have basically touched upon what is known and surmised about high slaves. It seems to be more a matter of one's slave type, and how that slave type fits onto a hierarchy of slave positions. Work slaves are considered low slaves. Coin girls are considered low slaves. It is the Passion slaves, the superb Pleasure slaves, and other slaves of such type that most often seem to be high slaves. They are often favored, receiving better hairstyles, clothes and jewelry. But as I mentioned, their position is tenuous and they can easily be stripped of being high slave by their owner.