OTTOMAN CLOTHING, and an important digression

Updates in progress 6/2004

So, what's the difference between saying "Turkish" and "Ottoman"? It's the same difference, really, as between "English" and "British." The words are deeply related, but not synonymous. In both cases, the national group (Turks, English) dominated a larger political entity (Ottoman Empire, British Empire), but they were far from the only people inhabiting that larger entity, or even the largest population group. They were also far from being the only source of art, culture, etc. So, when I talk about "Ottoman" items, I am referring to a much wider range of items than just those created/used primarily by the Turkish population of the Empire. Who else were there? Greeks, Armenians, Sephardic Jews, Western Europeans resident in the Empire (the "Franks"), Africans, Middle Eastern Christian populations (the "Rum"), and others. The dominant subgroup in the heart of the Empire were the Greeks.

Image Files

There's little I enjoy more than researching. Other folk sometimes find researching a big old pain. So, here are some useful period images I've turned up, with the relevant provenance noted and some textural transcriptions to fill out the view. I have tried to chose images that are difficult to find unless you have direct access to an academic research library.

I. Contemporary European representations of 15th and 16th Century Ottoman clothing, with references

II. Contemporary Ottoman representations of 15th and 16th Century Ottoman clothing, with references

Articles on women's clothing

I. The Chios Dress: Greek Italianate island dress

II. The Galata Dress: Greek Italianate dress from Constantinople region

III. Greek Ottoman Dress: Turkish influenced dress

Other

Textile terms
Colors