Jarya

Jarya or jariya (SING; Arabic: جارية), also jawari (PLUR), was a term often used for female slaves in the medieval Islamic world.

The slave category of the jarya—similar to the qiyan—rose to fame during the Abbasid Caliphate era,[2] possibly because free Arab women became more and more secluded from society during this time period.

[3] The jariya category of sexual harem slaves were described by the 9th-century writer Al-Jahiz, who accused them of exerting a destructive influence over their owners created by their artistic skills, which created a web of dependent feelings such as love (hub), passion (hawa), affinity (mushakala) and a wish for continued companionship (ilf).

[4] Though most scholarly attention has gone to courtly contexts, jawari were also present in non-courtly urban settings, including the homes of merchants and artisans, notably as domestic workers.

A wide range of representations features jawari, including technical treatises and spiritual literature.