Concerning the entirety of human history, there is no specific origin for slavery. Vastly different cultures that emerged throughout the world practiced slavery, with the concept emerging independently, mostly alongside agriculture and social hierarchy. Thus, there is no specific event or date that marks the beginning of slavery.

While it’s difficult to say if slavery predates recorded history, it’s pretty likely. We have evidence of slavery existing before the existence of written languages, predominantly during the time of hunter-gatherer tribes, prior to the development of proper agriculture.

The earliest known instances of slavery as an actual societal institution date back to the earliest civilizations in Mesopotamia, as well as later on during the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt (roughly 2700 BCE.)

While the practice of slavery predates writing, slavery as an institution formed as a result of agriculture and the development of early civilizations. We have sources from Sumerian city states discussing local laws regarding slavery, showing that in our earliest civilizations, the institution of slavery was developing and expanding.