Prison

Saleh, North Africa, Marocco

Equipment and Infrastructures

This city was one of the main privateering hubs on the coast of the north Atlantic from the 17th century. Until 1682, a large number of captives had been awaiting pardon, sometimes for several years. As the city was very close to the Portuguese coast and the Portuguese frequented the Moroccan coast in order to reach the Portuguese settlements or on their way southwards, it is not surprising that many of them were captured by the privateers of Salé.
Until 1682 (Meknès), when the shariff became the man responsible for imprisoned captives, available information shows the miserable conditions of imprisonment, including obviously those of the Portuguese captives. According to sources, many of these captives were shut up in wells, which were filled with water and were converted into prisons. In the present state of research, some of these places are known and we have knowledge of some poignant inscriptions, although we do not know if they pertain to Portuguese prisoners.

• Filipe Themudo Barata