Artisans of Empire: Crafts and Craftspeople Under the Ottomans

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Description

The manufacture and trade in crafted goods and the men and women who were involved in this industry - including metalworkers, ceramicists, silk weavers, fez-makers, blacksmiths and even barbers - lay at the social as well as the economic heart of the Ottoman empire. This comprehensive history, by leading Ottoman historian Suraiya Faroqhi, presents the definitive view of the subject, from the production and distribution of different craft objects to their use and enjoyment within the community. Faroqhi sheds new light on all aspects of artisan life, setting the concerns of individual craftsmen within the context of the broader cultural themes that connect them to the wider world. Combining social, cultural, economic, religious and historical insights, this will be the authoritative work on Ottoman artisans and guilds for many years to come.

Reviews

'A display of unrivalled knowledge of the sources by one of the leading historians of the Ottoman Empire.' - Erik J. Zurcher, Professor of Turkish Studies at the University of Leiden

Author Bio

Suraiya Faroqhi is Professor of History at Bilgi University, Istanbul. She previously worked as Professor of Ottoman Studies at the Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich. Among her publications are The Ottoman Empire and the World Around It, Pilgrims and Sultans and Subjects of the Sultan (all published by I.B.Tauris).