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“Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the Anatolian remnants of the defeated Ottoman Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who was later honored with the title Ataturk, or "Father of the Turks." Under his authoritarian leadership, the country adopted wide-ranging social, legal, and political reforms. After a period of one-party rule, an experiment with multi-party politics led to the 1950 election victory of the opposition Democratic Party and the peaceful transfer of power. Since then, Turkish political parties have multiplied, but democracy has been fractured by periods of instability and intermittent military coups (1960, 1971, 1980), which in each case eventually resulted in a return of political power to civilians”(CIA, The World Factbook).
Source: https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/tu.html
FOR VIDEOS PLEASE USE THE LINK
http://www.turkishembassy.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=209&Itemid=216
Facts about Turkey
Official Name: The Republic of Turkey (Türkiye Cumhuriyeti)
Founder: Mustafa Kemal ATATÜRK (1881-1938)
Capital: Ankara
Turkish Flag: |
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Population: 67.8 million (as of 2000)
Language: Turkish (uses Latin Alphabet)
Currency: New Turkish Lira (YTL) as of 01/01/2005
1YTL = 1,000,000 TL (Turkish Lira)
Location: Eastern Mediterranean. Located on two contitents Europe and Asia. The European part of Turkey is called Thrace, while the Asian part is called Anatolia or Asia Minor.
Area: 814 578 Km2 (314 500 square miles)
% 3 on the European continent
% 97 on the Asian continent
Major Cities: |
Istanbul |
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10.0 million |
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Ankara |
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4.0 million |
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Izmir |
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3.3 million |
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Konya |
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2.2 million |
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Bursa |
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2.1 million |
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Adana |
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1.8 million |
Religion: 99 percent of the population is Muslim. Turkey is a secular state that assures complete freedom of worship to non-Muslims.
National Anthem: Istiklal Marsi
Lyrics by: Mehmet Akif Ersoy
Adopted as Turkey’s National Anthem on March 12, 1921
Government: Turkey is democratic, secular and social state governed by the rule of law; committed to the nationalism of Atatürk and based on the principle of the separation of powers;
Legislative Power: The Turkish Grand National Assembly
Executive Power: President and the Council of Ministers.
Judicial Power: Independent courts and supreme judiciary organs.
Coastline: 8333 Km. (5000 miles)
Turkey is surrounded by sea on three sides, by the Black Sea in the north, the Mediterranean in the south and the Aegean Sea in the west. In the northwest there is also an important internal sea, the Sea of Marmara, between the straits of the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus.
Geographical Regions: Turkey has 80 administrative provinces and seven geographical regions. The first four of the seven regions are given the names of the seas which are adjacent to them.
- Black Sea Region
- Marmara Region
- Aegean Region
- Mediterranean Region
The other three regions are named in accordance with their location in the whole of Anatolia.
- Central Anatolia Region
- Eastern Anatolia Region
- Southeastern Anatolia Region
Famous Landmarks: Ayasofya Museum, Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque, Dolmabahce Palace, ancient City of Troy, Ephesus, Aphrodisias, Pergamon, Pamukkale, Goreme-Cappadocia, Mt.Nemrut, Safranbolu.
Time: Local time is equal to GMT + 2 hours. Same time zone all over the country (seven hours ahead of U.S. eastern standard time).
Electricity: 220 volts a.c. throughout Turkey
Weights and Measures: Metric and Kilo system
Source : http://www.tourismturkey.org/factsforvisitors.htm
Turkey and Middle East
Surrounded by three seas and bridging Europe and Asia, Turkey occupies a unique strategic position. Turkey's geo-strategic importance stems from its centrality to the regions of major instability and conflagration as well as of important economic and energy potentials. By virtue of this geo-strategic setting, Turkey belongs to the Middle East region as well.
Turkey enjoys deeply rooted historical, cultural and traditional ties with the Middle East and desires to promote cordial relations with all the countries and peoples of the region. Developments in the Middle East are followed closely by and felt strongly in Turkey. Hence, Turkey has always desired to see a just, lasting and comprehensive peace take root in this conflict-ridden region and advocated dialogue as the vehicle to achieve that objective.
To that effect, Turkey has a vision for the Middle East which is based on her experience in democratization, the rule of law, economic liberalization, integration, regional cooperation and the fight against terrorism. Turkey has been putting particular emphasis on such key concepts as political and economic participation, democratization, good governance, accountability and gender equality, as well as non- proliferation and transparency in military affairs. This vision also offers to share the valuable and unique experience accrued as a result of decades long participation and leadership in cooperation in Europe-wide processes, as well as sub-regional fora in the Balkans and the Black Sea area. Turkey has long been a strong advocate of positive change in her region and supports the local initiatives of the regional countries in their home-grown desire for reform. Turkey both encourages and assists the ongoing local efforts to this end which hold great promise for the improvement of political, social and economic conditions in the region.
In this context, Turkey participated as a democratic partner in the G-8 Summit held in Sea Island in June 2004 and has assumed the co-chairmanship, along with Italy and Yemen, of the Democracy Assistance Dialogue (DAD), one of the mechanisms created within the scope of the Broader Middle East and Northern Africa (BMENA) initiative.
Turkey actively participated in both the first formal DAD meeting in Rome in November and Forum for the Future in Morocco in December 2004. These meetings aimed to promote the commitment of the countries of the region and the partners of the G-8 for development and reform and define the general orientation of this partnership for a common future. The first thematic meeting of the DAD on the empowerment of women in public life was held on 20-21 June 2005 in Istanbul with the participation of 37 NGO’s and 6 government representatives from 20 BMENA countries.
Source: http://www.turkishembassy.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=68&Itemid=266
Did you know that….
· stanbul is the only city in the world located on two continents - Europe and Asia. During its 25,000-year history, it has been the capital of the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires.
· Two of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World stood in Turkey - the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus and the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, Bodrum.
· St. Nicholas, known as Santa Claus today, was born and lived in Demre (Myra) on Turkey's Mediterranean coast. The village contains the famous Church of St. Nicholas, which contains the sarcophagus believed to be his tomb.
· The first man ever to fly was Turkish. Using two wings, Hezarfen Ahmet Celebi flew from the Galata Tower over the Bosphorus to land in Usküdar in the 17th century.
· Many archeologists and biblical scholars believe Noah's Ark landed on Agri Dagi (Mount Ararat) in eastern Turkey.
· The famous Trojan War took place in western Turkey, around the site where a wooden statue of the Trojan Horse rests today.
· Turks introduced coffee to Europe.
· According to Turkish tradition, a stranger at one's doorstep is considered "a guest from God," and should be accommodated accordingly.
· Julius Caesar issued his celebrated proclamation, Veni, Vidi, Vici (“I came, I saw, I conquered”), in Turkey upon defeating the Pontus, a formidable kingdom in the Black Sea region of Turkey.
· Alexander the Great conquered a large territory in what is now Turkey, and also cut the Gordion Knot in the Phrygian capital (Gordium), not far from Turkey's present-day capital (Ankara).
· Aesop - famous all over the world for his fables and parables - was born in Anatolia.
· Homer was born in Izmir on the west coast of Turkey. He depicted Troy in his epic Iliad.
· Part of Turkey's southwestern shore was a wedding gift from Marc Antony to Cleopatra.
· The number of archaeological excavations going on in Turkey every year is at least 150.
· Writing was first used by people in ancient Anatolia. The first clay tablets - in the ruins of Assyrian Karum (a merchant colony) - date back to 1950 B.C.
· The last home of the Virgin Mary is in Selçuk, Turkey.
· Leonardo da Vinci drew designs for a bridge over the Bosphorus, the strait that flows through Europe and Asia. (Although da Vinci’s bridge was never built, there are now two bridges over the Bosphorus.)
In 1492, Sultan Beyazıd II, after learning about the expulsion of Jews, dispatched the Ottoman Navy to bring them safely to the Ottoman lands.
· Likewise, Jews expelled from Hungary in 1376, from Sicily early in the 15th century, from Bavaria in 1470, from Bohemia in 1542, and from Russia in 1881, 1891, 1897, and 1903 all took refuge in the Ottoman Empire.
· As was the case during the Bolshevik revolution, Turkey served as a safe passage and haven for those fleeing their native countries during World War II.
· Turkey was one of the few countries in the world to welcome Jewish refugees escaping the horrors of Nazism.
· During the Gulf War in 1991, Turkey welcomed nearly half a million Kurds from Northern Iraq. The Kurds were fleeing the danger posed by Saddam Hussein’s regime.
· Turkey provided homes for some 313,000 Bulgarian refugees of Turkish origin when they were expelled from their homelands in Bulgaria in 1989.
Source: http://www.turkishembassy.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=143&Itemid=208
Traditional Turkish Decorative Arts
Marbling
Decorative Turkish Arts
MARBLING
The art of marbling on paper, or 'ebru' in Turkish, is a traditional decorative form employing special methods. The word 'ebru' comes from the Persian word 'ebr,' meaning 'cloud.' The word 'ebri' then evolved from this, assuming the meaning 'like a cloud' or 'cloudy,' and was assimilated into Turkish in the form 'ebru.' Marbling does actually give the impression of clouds. Another possible derivation of the word 'ebru' is from the Persian 'âb-rûy,' meaning 'face water.'
Although it is not known when and in which country the art of marbling was born, there is no doubt that it is a decorative art peculiar to Eastern countries. A number of Persian sources report that it first emerged in India. It was carried from India to Persia, and from there to the Ottomans. According to other sources, the art of marbling was born in the city of Bukhara in Turkistan, finding its way to the Ottomans by way of Persia. In the West, 'ebru' is known as 'Turkish paper.'
How Marbling is Done
Marbling is a most enjoyable art form, although one requiring great patience. The first thing is to select suitable paper, as not all paper can be used. The paper needs to be hard-wearing and able to absorb the paint thoroughly. Masters of calligraphy in former times preferred to write on what was known as 'dressed' paper, which had had a mixture of cornstarch and egg-white rubbed over its surface. Marbling practitioners, on the other hand, preferred raw, 'undressed' paper since the 'dressed' version did not absorb paint well.
A large, wide, shallow and generally rectangular tray is necessary for the practice of marbling. A kind of white gum obtained from the stem of the tragacanth plant is mixed in a bowl with water in specific proportions. Different substances, such as dried orchid tubers, flax or quince seeds and kerosene may be used instead of the tragacanth gum. The mixture is left to stand for up to 12 hours and stirred occasionally. The gum eventually dissolves, and the mixture comes to take on the consistency of boza, a thick drink made of fermented millet.
Later on, the paint for the marbling is prepared in small cups. The paint to be used needs to be ground very finely, and should not be one of those vegetable or chemical paints that do not dissolve in water. After the paint has been dissolved in water in the little cups, two coffee spoonfuls of fresh cattle gall is added. The aim behind this procedure is to prevent the finely ground paint from sinking to the bottom and ensure that it floats on the surface. The paints of various colours prepared in this manner are then spread over the boza-like mixture described earlier which has been emptied into the tray. The paint clings to the surface in small pools, which are then mixed or spread by means of a wooden stick, giving rise to surprising and fascinating designs. Specific designs can also be created according to the artist's wishes. The special paper laid over these designs is lifted to one side some 5-10 seconds later, in very much the same manner as turning the pages of a book, by holding it by two edges and being careful not to smear the paint. The paper is left to dry in a suitable place, the painted side facing upwards. In this way, designs with thousands of details and colours emerge. If the artist wishes to place writing or a flower motif between these designs, he employs another method. The writing or motif is drawn or scratched onto paper. A sharp implement is used to cut them out, and these are then fixed onto the marbling paper with a thin adhesive. The paper is then laid onto the paint in the tray as described above. After the marbling design on the paper has dried, the patterns that have been thinly glued onto the paper are removed, leaving an empty space. This method was discovered by the calligraphy and marbling master Necmeddin Okyay (1883-1976), for which reason marbling produced by that method is known as 'Necmettin Marbling.' There are several other varieties of marbling, such as 'oversize,' 'combed' and 'flowered.'
Marbling used to be extensively employed in bookbinding and calligraphy. On occasion, particularly interesting and attractive designs are used as pictures. Turkey has produced many great exponents of the art, such as Hatip Mehmed Efendi (18th century), Şeyh Sadık Efendi (19th century) and Bekir Efendi (early 20th century). Among the last great masters produced after Necmeddın Okyay, both Mustafa Düzgünman (born 1920) and Niyazi Sayın (born 1927) are particularly worthy of mention.
Source: http://www.kultur.gov.tr/EN/BelgeGoster.aspx?17A16AE30572D3131A9547B61DAFFE2A7232BC6DECEDE6EA
Calligraphy
Decorative Turkish Arts
CALLIGRAPHY
The first thing that comes to mind whenever calligraphy is mentioned is the decorative use of Arabic letters. This art emerged after a long period between the 6th and 10th centuries as Arabic letters evolved.
After turning to Islam and adopting the Arabic alphabet, the Turks failed to play any part in the art of calligraphy for a long time. They first began to show an interest in it after moving to Anatolia, and the Ottoman period was one of the times during which it flourished most. Yakut-ı Mustasımi was particularly influential in Anatolia from the beginning of the 13th century to the middle of the 15th. Şeyh Hamdullah (1429-1520) made a number of changes to the rules introduced by Yakut-ı Mustasımi, thus giving Arabic letters are warmer, softer appearance. Şeyh Hamdullah is regarded as the father of Turkish calligraphy, and his style and influence predominated until the 17th century. It was Hafız Osman (1642-1698) who produced the art's most aesthetically mature period. All the great calligraphers who came after basically followed in Hafız Osman's footsteps.
As well as the six main styles of calligraphy, the Turks also created a new style from the 'talik' form discovered by the Persians. The early examples of this 'talik' style were heavily influenced by Persia, but in the 18th century mehmed Esad Yesari (died 1798) and his son Yesari Mustafa İzzet (died 1849) gave it a whole new appearance. Turkish calligraphy continued to shine in the 19th and 20th centuries. With the adoption of the Latin alphabet in 1928, however, it ceased to be a popular art form, becoming merely a traditional art taught in a certain number of schools.
VARIETIES OF CALLIGRAPHIC STYLES
As well as the six styles that emerged with the birth of the art of calligraphy and the 'talik' form from Persia, there are a large number of other styles. One part of these never spread widely, and another part was only employed in particular fields. For example, the 'divani' style developed by the Turks was only used for important documents written at the imperial court, and the 'siyakat' form, which required special training to be able to read and write, was only used for financial records. The 'rik'a' style was easily written, and thus became widely used in daily life, becoming an art style in the 19th century. The 'rik'a' style must not be confused with the 'rika' form, one of the six main forms of calligraphy.
In calligraphy, different names were given to written texts according to their size. Signs hung on walls, on the domes and braces of religious buildings such as mosques and tombs, and all texts used on inscriptions and intended to be read from afar were known as 'celi.' The 'sülüs' and 'talik' forms were generally preferred for 'celi' work. Texts written in much smaller letters than usual were called 'hurde,' and those on a scale that was difficult to make out were called 'gubari.'
WRITING EQUIPMENT
The pen was the basic tool used in calligraphy, and particularly the reed pen. The end of the reed was held at an angle over a hard pad known as a 'makta' and sharpened according to the text to be written with a special knife. 'Celi' texts were written with thick pens made of wood, and metal nibs were employed for very fine letters. The ink used in calligraphy was also specially prepared. It was produced by mixing oiled soot with a number of other substances, and allowed the pen to flow easily. It could also be erased easily in the event of a mistake. Special paper was also used. The paper was made transparent with a special substance in order that it should absorb the ink and to allow the pen to move easily over it.
TRAINING CALLIGRAPHERS
An exponent of the art of calligraphy is known as a 'hatta,' or 'fine-writing artist.' For centuries such artists were trained in a master-apprentice relationship, and anyone wishing to learn the art of calligraphy would learn from a master. Initially these lessons, known as 'meşk' and intended to introduce the student to the art, began with learning to write individual letters. This was then followed by joining letters together and writing words and sentences. At the end of some three to five years of training, the apprentice would take a kind of written exam before two or three masters. If the masters approved the text written by the apprentice they would sign their names to it. This was then known as an 'icazetname' or licence to practice. Nobody who lacked such a document could be considered a calligrapher and could not therefore sign his name to any text produced by him.
Source: http://www.kultur.gov.tr/EN/BelgeGoster.aspx?17A16AE30572D3131A9547B61DAFFE2A56500F0569D9B897
Miniature Work
Decorative Turkish Arts
MINIATURE WORK
This is the name given to the art of producing very finely detailed, small paintings. In Europe in the Middle Ages, handwritten manuscripts would be decorated by painting capital letters red. Lead oxide, known as 'minium' in Latin and which gave a particularly pleasant colour, was used for this purpose. That is where the word 'miniature' derives from. In Turkey, the art of miniature painting used to be called 'nakış' or 'tasvir,' with the former being more commonly employed. The artist was known as a 'nakkaş' or 'musavvir.' Miniature work was generally applied to paper, ivory and similar materials.
The miniature is an art style with a long history in both the Eastern and Western worlds. There are those, however, who maintain that it was originally an Eastern art, from where it made its way to the West. Eastern and Western miniature art is very similar, although differences can be observed in colour, form and subject matter. Scale was kept small since the art was used to decorate books. That is a common characteristic. Eastern and Turkish miniatures also possess a number of other features. The outside of the miniature is usually decorated with a form of embellishment known as 'tezhip.' A paint similar to water colour was used for miniatures, although rather more gum arabic was used during the mixing process. Very thin brushes made from cat fur and known as 'fur brushes' were used to draw the lines and fill in the fine detail. Other brushes were employed for the painting itself. White lead with gum Arabic added was applied to the surface of the paper to be painted. A thin coat of gold powder would also be applied to the surface to make the various colours transparent.
The oldest known miniatures were done on papyrus in Egypt in the 2nd century BC. Handwritten manuscripts decorated with miniatures can then be observed in the Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Syriac periods. With the spread of Christianity, miniatures began to be used to ornament the Bible in particular. The development of the art came towards the end of the 8th century. In the 12th century, miniatures ceased to be directly linked in form to the text they were decorating, and also ceased to be exclusively religious in tone, with secular examples appearing. Beautiful and splendid miniatures continued to be created in Europe until the development of the printing press. After that time, they were more usually used in the form of portraits on the backs of medallions. After the 17th century, the application of miniatures to ivory began to spread. Later still, as interest in the art of the miniature began to fall, it continued as a traditional art form among a small number of artists.
Great importance was attached to the miniature during the Seljuk period. Seljuk miniature was considerably influenced by Persia, on account of their close relations with that country. They also produced Abdüddevle, who painted a portrait of Mevlana, and other famous miniaturists. In the Ottoman Empire, the Seljuk and Persian influence continued up until the 18th century. During the time of Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror, a miniaturist by the name of Sinan Bey made a portrait of the sultan, and also trained another artist called Baba Nakkaş during the reign of Bayezid II. In the 16th century, the artists Nigari, known as Reis Haydar, Nakşi and Şah Kulu won considerable renown. During that same time, Aka Mirek of Horasan, a student of Bihzad, was called to Istanbul and made 'başnakkaş' or chief artist. Mustafa Çelebi, Selimiyeli Reşid, Süleyman Çelebi and Levni were the best known miniaturists of the 18tth century. Of these, levn' constituted a turning point in Turkish miniature painting. Levn' moved beyond the traditional conception of the art and developed his own unique style. Under the influence of the renewal movements in the 19th century, Western art also began to affect the art of miniature painting. The miniature slowly began to give way to contemporary art as we understand the concept today. However, it still survives as a traditional art in Turkey, in the same was as it does in the West.
Source: http://www.kultur.gov.tr/EN/BelgeGoster.aspx?17A16AE30572D3131A9547B61DAFFE2A512F5506635D5976
Cinema
The first film showing in Turkey was held in the Yildiz Palace in 1896. Public shows by Sigmund Weinberger in the Beyoglu and Sehzadebasi districts followed in 1897. The first Turkish movie, a documentary produced by Fuat Uzkinay in 1914, depicted the destruction of the Russian monument in Ayastefanos by the public. The first thematic Turkish films were "The Marriage of Himmet Aga" (1916-1918), started by Weinberger and completed by Uzkinay, "The Paw" (1917) and "The Spy" (1917), both by Sedat Simavi. The army-affiliated Central Cinema Directorate, a semi-military national defence society, and the Disabled Veterans Society were the producing organizations of that period.
In 1922 a major documentary film, "Independence, the Izmir Victory," was made about the first war of Independance. The same year, the first private studio, Kemal Film, commenced operations.
From 1923 to 1939, Muhsin Ertugrul was the only film director in the country. He directed 29 films during this period, generally incorporating adaptions of plays, operettas, fiction and foreign films. The influence of the theater dating back to Uzkinay, Simavi, Ahmet Fehim and Karagozoglu is very strong in Muhsin Ertugrul's work.
The years between 1939 and 1950 were a period of transition for the Turkish cinema, during which it was greatly influenced by the theater as well as by World War II. While there were only two film companies in 1939, the number increased to four between 1946 and 1950. After 1949, Turkish cinema was able to develop as a separate art, with a more professional caliber of talents.
Between 1950 and 1966, more than fifty directors practiced film arts in Turkey. Omer Lutfi Akad strongly influenced the period, but Osman F. Seden, Atif Yilmaz and Memduh Un made the most films. The film "Susuz Yaz" (Dry Summer), made by Metin Erksan, won the Golden Bear Award at the Berlin Film Festival in 1964.
The number of cinema-goers and the number of films made record a constant increase, especially after 1958. In the 1960s, cinema courses were included in the programs of the theater departments in the Language, History and Geography faculties of Ankara and Istanbul Universities and in the Press and Publications High School of Ankara University. A cinema branch was also established in the Art History Department of the State Fine Arts Academy.
The Union of Turkish Film Producers, and the State Film Archives also were established in the 1960s. The State Film Archives became the Turkish Film Archives in 1969. During the same period, the Cinema-TV Institute was founded and annexed to the State Academy of Fine Arts. The Turkish State Archives also became part of this organization. In 1962, the Cinema-TV Institute became a department of Mimar Sinan University.
Among the well-known directors of the 1960-1970 period are Metin Erksan, Atif Yilmaz, Memduh Un, Halit Refig, Duygu Sagiroglu and Nevat Pesen. In 1970, the numbers of cinemas and cinema-goers rose spectacularly. In 2,424 cinemas, films were viewed by a record number of 246,662,318 viewers.
In 1970, approximately 220 films were made and this figure reached 300 in 1972. After this period, the cinema began to lose its audiences, due to nationwide TV broadcasts. After 1970, a new and young generation of directors emerged, but they had to cope with an increased demand for video films after 1980.
Increased production costs and difficulties faced in the import of raw materials brought about a decrease in the number of films made in the 1970s, but the quality of films improved.
On January 23, 1986, a new cinema law aimed to ensure support for those working in cinema and music. A reorganization of the film industry began in 1987 to address problems and assure its development. The Ministry of Culture established the "Professional Union of Owners of Turkish Works of Cinema" the same year.
The Copyrights and General Directorate of Cinema was founded in 1989 as well as a Support Fund for the Cinema and Musical Arts. This fund is used to provide financial support to the film sector.
Source: http://www.turkishembassy.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=104&Itemid=116
Literature
Turkish belongs to the Altay branch of the Uralo-Altay linguistic family. Through the span of history, Turks have spread over a wide geographical area, taking their language with them. Turkish speaking people have lived in a wide area stretching from today's Mongolia to the north coast of the Black Sea, the Balkans, East Europe, Anatolia, Iraq and a wide area of northern Africa. Due to the distances involved, various dialects and accents have emerged. The history of the language is divided into three main groups, old Turkish (from the 7th to the 13th centuries), mid-Turkish (from the 13th to the 20th) and new Turkish from the 20th century onwards. During the Ottoman Empire period Arabic and Persian words invaded the Turkish language and it consequently became mixed with three different languages. During the Ottoman period which spanned five centuries, the natural development of Turkish was severely hampered.
Then there was the "new language" movement. In 1928, five years after the proclamation of the Republic, the Arabic alphabet was replaced by the Latin one, which in turn speeded up the movement to rid the language of foreign words. The Turkish Language Institute was established in 1932 to carry out linguistic research and contribute to the natural development of the language. As a consequence of these efforts, modern Turkish is a literary and cultural language developing naturally and free of foreign influences.
The history of Turkish Literature may be divided into three periods, reflecting the history of Turkish civilization as follows: the period up to the adoption of Islam, the Islamic period and the period under western influence.
Source: http://www.turkishembassy.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=105&Itemid=118
Turkish Cuisine
For those who travel engaged in culinary pursuits, the Turkish Cuisine is a very curious one. The variety of dishes that make up the Cuisine, the ways they all come together in feast-like meals, and the evident intricacy of each craft offer enough material for life-long study and enjoyment. It is not easy to discern a basic element or a single dominant feature, like the Italian "pasta" or the French "sauce". Whether in a humble home, at a famous restaurant, or at a dinner in a Bey's mansion, familiar patterns of this rich and diverse Cuisine are always present. It is a rare art, which satisfies your senses while reconfirming the higher order of society; community and culture.
A practical-minded child watching Mother cook "cabbage dolma" on a lazy; gray winter day is bound to wonder : "Who on earth discovered this peculiar combination of sautéed rice, pine-nuts, currants, spices, herbs and all tightly wrapped in translucent leaves of cabbage all exactly half an inch thick and stacked up on an oval serving plate decorated with lemon wedges? How was it possible to transform this humble vegetable to such heights of fashion and delicacy with so few additional ingredients? And, how can such a yummy dish possibly also be good for one"
The modern mind, in a moment of contemplation, has similar thoughts upon entering a modest sweets shop in Turkey where "baklava" is the generic cousin of a dozen or so sophisticated sweet pastries with names like : twisted turban, sultan, saray (palace), lady's navel, nightingale's nest... The same experience awaits you at a "muhallebi" (pudding shop) with a dozen different types of milk puddings.
One can only conclude that the evolution of this glorious Cuisine was not an accident. Similar to other grand Cuisine of the world, it is a result of the combination of three key elements. A nurturing environment is irreplaceable. Turkey is known for an abundance and diversity of foodstuff due to its rich flora, fauna and regional differentiation. And the legacy of an Imperial Kitchen is inescapable. Hundreds of cooks specializing in different types of dishes, all eager to please the royal palate, no doubt had their influence in perfecting the Cuisine as we known it today The Palace Kitchen, supported by a complex social organization, a vibrant urban life, specialization of labor, trade, and total control of the Spice Road, reflected the culmination of wealth and the flourishing of culture in the capital of a mighty Empire. And the influence of the longevity of social organization should not be taken lightly either. The Turkish State of Anatolia is a millenium old and so, naturally, is the Cuisine. Time is of the essence; as Ibn'i Haldun wrote, "The religion of the King, in time, becomes that of the People", which also holds for the King's food. This, the reign of the Ottoman Dynasty during 600 years, and a seamless cultural transition into the present day of modern Turkey led to the evolution of a grand Cuisine through differentiation, refinement and perfection of dishes, as well as their sequence and combination of the meals.
It is quite rare when all three of the above conditions are met, as they are in the French, the Chinese and the Turkish Cuisine. The Turkish Cuisine has the extra privilege of being at the cross-roads of the Far-East and the Mediterranean, which mirrors a long and complex history of Turkish migration from the steppes of Central Asia (where they mingled with the Chinese) to Europe (where they exerted influence all the way to Vienna). All these unique characteristics and history have bestowed upon the Turkish Cuisine a rich and varied n umber of dishes, which can be prepared and combined with other dishes in meals of almost infinite variety, but always in a non-arbitrary way This led to a Cuisine that is open to improvisation through development of regional styles, while retaining its deep structure, as all great works of art do. The Cuisine is also an integral aspect of culture. It is a part of the rituals of everyday life events. It reflects spirituality, in for ms that are specific to it, through symbolism and practice.