Abstract:

Seyahatnames (book of travels) recorded by seyyahs (travellers) are crucial documents in transferring the information belonging to historical period besides personal impressions. These documents are of great importance in terms of the fact that they include enlightening information about the history, geography, folklore and ethnology, religious, social and scientific status of countries at a certain period. A great many seyyahs both from the west and east traveled around many regions and observed their geographical, social and economic status of Turkey which will put a light on the current time. Among them, the life styles and productions of different societies have a significant place. Seyyahs write about architectural structures, clothing, the artistic productions and handicraft arts in detail. Therefore, seyahatnames are the sources considered within the content of cultural heritage. In this context, it was aimed to investigate and determine the road courses between the 14th and 19th centuries, seyyahs passing through Turkey, their seyahatnames, the regions visited and other issues with regard to material culture, documenting them in order to create a source and offer them to the researchers and those dealing with these issues as a guide book. In the current study, it was aimed to introduce the seyyahs and seyahatnames that were examined and investigated and many of which are foreigners. Depending on the narrations regarded as cultural heritage, the parts containing information with regard to architectural products, clothing, handicraft arts products and tools and materials used were compiled, the pages were numerated regarding seyahatnames and documented as a result of readings by focusing on “material culture”.

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