The gold mining of Minas Gerais has increasingly drawn the attention of historians. This study by Laird W. Bergad is an important contribution to that evolving body of literature and will be an indispensable tool to scholars. This work is a tour de force in terms of its handling of data. Central to this study is the use of inventories from the three mining districts, Diamantina, Mariana/Vila Rica, and São João del Rei/São José del Rei. Close to 10,000 inventories were used to produce a database of almost 112,000 slaves extending over the period from 1713 to 1888. Three research teams were used, but any researcher who has used inventories knows how difficult an undertaking this must have been. From these inventories the author constructed a very substantial slave price series database. Bergad also used the Minas Gerais censuses for 1831, 1833, 1855, and 1872 which have been compiled by...

You do not currently have access to this content.