By: Aidan Young After moving the seat of the Eastern Roman Empire, now called the Byzantine Empire, to Constantinople in 330 A.D. Emperor Constantius set out to construct a representation of the power he held. He decided to build a church on a site next to the imperial palace for that purpose. The architecture was that of a traditional Roman basilica but on a larger … Continue reading The Hagia Sophia in the Ottoman Empire

Shadow puppetry, or Karagöz theatre, was a stylized, crude form of puppetry that existed in the Ottoman Empire in Turkey. Turkey had already developed two differing forms of theatre in folk culture. Karagöz has inspirational roots from Egyptian shadow puppetry, and was performed in coffee shops. However, the birth of modern Turkey had the modern government regulate the crude shows that Karagöz theatre provided, forcing … Continue reading Shadow Puppets In The Ottoman Empire

The Dome of the Rock has a long and complicated history. This article presents the reason why two religions fight viciously to claim the area, and why the building is so controversial. Continue reading The Dome of the Rock: The Rocky Heart of Religion

A Kaftan is “a long coat like oriental garment with long sleeves covering the hands, “worn by both sexes”. They were worn by all classes of people and held in very high regard within the Ottoman Empire. They were not seen as simply an article of clothing, but as a symbol of power and politics and a form of art. The Sultan’s employed imperial kaftan … Continue reading Ottoman Kaftans (Caftans)

Introduction  Textiles are an important and necessary item that we use in everyday life. In the Ottoman Empire, textile production was an industry dominated by women, so through textiles, we can learn about the life of non-elite women and their work. Islam was the majority religion in the Ottoman Empire, but textile production offered both Muslim and non-Muslim Ottoman women the opportunity to develop their … Continue reading Textiles and Women in the Ottoman Empire