Evidence of slavery predates written
records, and has
existed in many cultures. Slavery is rare among hunter–gatherer
populations, as slavery is a system of social stratification. Mass
slavery also requires
economic surpluses and
a high population density to be viable. Due to these factors, the
practice of slavery would have only proliferated after the invention of
agriculture during the Neolithic revolution about 11,000 years ago. The
earliest records of slavery can be traced to the Code of Hammurabi (ca.
1760 BC), and the Bible refers to it as an established institution.
