Abstract:

“Sûret-i Defter-i Sancak-i Arvanid” written in the year of 835 in Hijri Calender, which is equivalent to the years between 1431-1432 in Gregorian Calender, as the first book of Ottoman Empire is an official document for the Albanian lands. One of the most important fact about this work is that this book was written in the old Ottoman language in which Albanians were called “Arvanitas” not “Arnavut” (Albanian). Also the book contains general information about the population, administrative organization, geography, and lifestyle of the country. According to the data registered in the years between 1431-1432 (uncompleted), Albanian lands included theseprovinces: 1) Vilayet-i Aryurikasri, 2. Nahiyet-i Sopot, 3. Vilayet-i Klisura, 4. Vilayet-i Kanina, 5. Vilayet-i Belgrad, 6. Vilayet-i Tomorince, 7. Vilayet-i İskarapar, 8. Vilayet-i Pavlo Kurtik, 9. Vilayet-i Çartolos, 10. Vilayet-i Akçahisar. The present article aims to present the registriesof geographical names according to “Sûret-i Defter-i Sancak-i Arvanid” and compare them withtoday’s Province of Berat. Then, this article examines the administrative organization of the Province, changes in geographical names (urban-rural), unchanged toponyms of the same places, as well as geographical names of those places which do not exist today. In addititon, phonetic changes in these toponyms are analyzed.

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