Abstract

The essay takes the genovesi notarial records, published and unknown, of the XII and XIII centuries. We considere the observations and suggestions about the possibility to develop archival research formulated from Verlinden, Balbi, Heers, Pistarino, Balard, Balletto etc. The Liguria and in particular Genoa offer the possibility of to study the probable relations exists between the decline of the "altomedievale servaggio" (documented in the genovesi ecclesiastical records) and the first developments of the slave-trade of Saraceni, Sardinians and orientals in Genoa, than in the XIV and XV centuries will be asserted like one of the main centers of slaves market in the western Mediterranean. But the characteristics of the slavery-trade in the XII and XIII centuries are partially various from that of the same market in the late Middle Ages: therefore it seems useful to deepen the study about the phase of start of the slave-trade both in order to evidence such characteristics, and in order to bring to light the symbol characters of the "genovese servaggio", than often erroneously is assimilated to the free subordination peasant.