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COURSE OFFERINGS

THE OTTOMANS ON DEATH

Seminar Winter Quarter 2010

Th. 1:30-4:20

THE OTTOMANS ON DEATH
Seminar Winter Quarter 2010

Th. 1:30-4:20

Course Description: This course investigates Ottoman funerary traditions, imperial and otherwise; the material culture surrounding them; and, most importantly, the Ottomans' perceptions of and attitudes towards death, their deceased ones, martryrdom, the afterlife, and matters related. The course will also examine whether this potentially static set of perceptions was indeed immutable or whether it evolved over time. In addition to a sizable body of secondary literature on the subject, we will read primary sources in Ottoman Turkish (such as tombstones and biographical dictionaries on famous deceased persons -- Vefeyat) and interpret them. Knowledge of Ottoman Turkish is essential. Those who feel strong in Modern Turkish may work with transliterated texts for the seminar paper. Please consult the instructor first.