Branding Information : Other Information

“Some fellows do not brand their slaves," I said. "That is stupid!" she said. "It is also contrary to the laws of most cities," I said, "and to merchant law as well." "Of course," she said. Gorean, she approved heartily of the branding of slaves. Most female slaves on Gor, indeed, the vast majority, almost all, needless to say, are branded. Aside from the questions of legality, compliance with the law, and such, I think it will be clear upon a moment's reflection that various practical considerations also command slave brandings to the attention of the owner, in particular, the identification of the article as property, this tending to secure it, protecting it against loss, the brand, incidentally, is doubtless this identification of slaves. To be sure, most Goreans feel the brand also serves psychological and aesthetic purposes, for example, helping the girl to understand that she is now a slave and enhancing her beauty.”
Vagabonds of Gor page 188

“I have wondered upon occasion why brands are used on Gorean slaves. Surely Goreans have at their disposal means for indelibly but painlessly marking the human body. My conjecture, confirmed to some extent by the speculations of the Older Tarl, who had taught me the craft of arms in Ko-ro-ba years ago, is that the brand is used primarily, oddly enough, because of its reputed psychological effect.

In theory, if not in practice, when the girl finds herself branded like an animal, finds her fair skin marked by the iron of a master, she cannot fail, somehow, in the deepest levels of her thought, to regard herself as something which is owned, as mere property, as something belonging to the brute who has put the burning iron into her thigh.

Most simply, the brand is supposed to convince the gilr that she is truly owned; it is supposed to make her feel owned. When the iron is pulled away and she knows the pain and degradation and smells the odor of her burned flesh, she is supposed to tell herself, understanding its full and terrible import, I AM HIS.

Actually I suppose the effect depends greatly on the girl. In many girls I would suppose the brand has little effect besides contributing to their shame, their misery and humiliation. With other girls it might well increase their intractability, their hostility.”
Outlaw of Gor page 189

Masters Branding Their own Slaves

“Masters, incidentally, seldom brand their own slaves. To brand a girl well demands a sure hand, and, usually, experience. In training a man to use the iron slavers always give him poorer women at first, sometimes having him mark them more than once, until he becomes proficient. Usually by the fifteenth or the twentieth woman, the man is capable of marking them deeply, precisely, and cleanly. It is important for the girls thigh to be held immobile, sometimes it is held by more than one man; sometimes it is held bound to a wagon wheel; sometimes, in the house of slavers, a heavy, vise equipped, metal branding rack is used.” ~ Tribesmen of Gor page 41 - 42

Location of the Brand

“I am not branded on the right thigh either. I had, almost without thinking, moved in such a way as to ascertain this. Most girls wear their brands on the left thigh, where they may be, conveniently caressed by a right-handed Master. Some girls, on the other hand, are right thigh branded. Some, too, though very few, are branded on the lower left abdomen.”
Fighting Slave of Gor page 148
“Where are we branded?" She said.
"A girl is commonly branded on the left or right thigh," I said, "sometimes on the lower left abdomen."” ~ Beasts of Gor page 229

“Left thigh or right thigh?" he asked. "Left thigh," said Ulafi. Slave girls are commonly branded on the left thigh. Sometimes they are branded on the right thigh, or lower left abdomen.” ~
Explorers of Gor page 71