Ottoman Metrology

19
Halil INALCIK INTRODUCTION TO OTTOMAN METROLOGY In recent years, with the utilization of thb incomparable wealth of the Ottoman archives, studies on Ottoman social and economic history are making rapid progress. Many of these publications nevertheless appear to be'of limited value, and some totally misleading, simply because their interpretations or statistical tables are based on imprecise or inaccurate deflnitions of the terminology and units of measurement. Admittedly, editors of texts have'sometimes made efforts, focusing on a particular area, to determine terminology and measurements used in their roslsr;S. But in most cases such efforts do not go beyond repro- ducing iflftrrnrr,r, on found in the dictionaries, or at best Walther Hinz's handbook on Islamic weights and measurest. It was assumed, for example, that the Ottoman dirhem weighed 3.207 gr at all times, and all series of weights - okkq, kantdr and so were computed on this assumption. Also, it was supposed that kile, okka or kantcTr were always identical in all parts of the empire and for all kinds of goods. Sometimes, it has not been noticed th.zt lidre and loclra, usually writren in the same way as o;J, were different units of mearsurement. The word krlc was often used by the Ottomans interchangeably for all local grain measures regardless ol'their actual size or weight, and the lilc lbr ricc was half the kile used for wheat. Thus, a measure could vary in the same area according to the kind of merchandise measured. It is evident that in order to reach reliable conclusions in the studies on Ottoman social and economic history, our primary task is to begin a comprehensive and systematic study of Ottoman metrology. Such a study should comprise not only a tabulation of weights and measures with reasonably exact equivalents, but also Ottoman policies and practices in metrology, and local practices and nteitsLrrer)'.ent systems which often continued under Ottoman terminology in v'arious parts of the empire. This is clearly a work that goes beyond one person's capacity'. It is necessary to organize our efforts as a team in this vast and arrduor-rs I I.iurr stl'e IIussc urtd Grv'ithtt untg,ercclutet itr.t trtc!rist'ltt'5'r'.r/r,lr. Lcidcn : E. J. Urill 1955 (hci.. I tcr l,ll G l.

Transcript of Ottoman Metrology

Page 1: Ottoman Metrology

Halil INALCIK

INTRODUCTION TO OTTOMAN METROLOGY

In recent years, with the utilization of thb incomparable wealth ofthe Ottoman archives, studies on Ottoman social and economic historyare making rapid progress. Many of these publications neverthelessappear to be'of limited value, and some totally misleading, simplybecause their interpretations or statistical tables are based on impreciseor inaccurate deflnitions of the terminology and units of measurement.Admittedly, editors of texts have'sometimes made efforts, focusing ona particular area, to determine terminology and measurements used intheir roslsr;S. But in most cases such efforts do not go beyond repro-ducing iflftrrnrr,r, on found in the dictionaries, or at best Walther Hinz'shandbook on Islamic weights and measurest. It was assumed, forexample, that the Ottoman dirhem weighed 3.207 gr at all times, andall series of weights - okkq, kantdr and so were computed onthis assumption. Also, it was supposed that kile, okka or kantcTr werealways identical in all parts of the empire and for all kinds of goods.Sometimes, it has not been noticed th.zt lidre and loclra, usually writrenin the same way as o;J, were different units of mearsurement. The wordkrlc was often used by the Ottomans interchangeably for all local grainmeasures regardless ol'their actual size or weight, and the lilc lbr riccwas half the kile used for wheat. Thus, a measure could vary in thesame area according to the kind of merchandise measured.

It is evident that in order to reach reliable conclusions in the studieson Ottoman social and economic history, our primary task is tobegin a comprehensive and systematic study of Ottoman metrology.Such a study should comprise not only a tabulation of weights andmeasures with reasonably exact equivalents, but also Ottoman policiesand practices in metrology, and local practices and nteitsLrrer)'.entsystems which often continued under Ottoman terminology in v'ariousparts of the empire.

This is clearly a work that goes beyond one person's capacity'. It is

necessary to organize our efforts as a team in this vast and arrduor-rs

I I.iurr stl'e IIussc urtd Grv'ithtt untg,ercclutet itr.t trtc!rist'ltt'5'r'.r/r,lr. Lcidcn : E. J. Urill1955 (hci.. I tcr l,ll G l.

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3t2 TI,,\LIL INAL('IK

field. Experts in each Near Eastern country should fbcus on localmetrology trying to find concrete evidence lor local measures; folkloreevidence should also be checked with regard to local measuringsystems 2.

In 1981, at the meeting of the Internutional Conmrittee oJ'Pre-Ottotttuttand Ottotnun Studit.y at Cuenca (Spain), the proposal fc-rr such a commoneffort was enthusiastically endorsed . Turcit'u promised to publish such

studies in a series in order to accumulate the necessary materials andstudies for a final guicle on Ottoman metrology. In this paper, I have

tried to bring together some notes on the formation of the Ottomancentral measuring system and some observatiolls otl Ottoman policiestowards local measuring pracLices.

Ottoman metrology itself is an irrrportant topic involving Ottomancultural, administrative and economic history. Generally speaking, a

particular rneasure used traditionally in a society is part of its cultureancl often continues as one of the most persistent elements of thatparticular culture. Custom has, irt a traditional society, the assuraltce

of reliability established through centuries of experience. Thus, it is

1o wonder that under the Ottoman rule local or regional weights andmeasures persisted in nrarty areas even when terminology confbrmedto that of thc ccntral system. This is particularly true for the Ottomansas their central bureaucracy had ofien recognized wisdom and prac-ticality in local nteasuren'rent systerns. This point shall be illustrated inthe evolution of measllrement systems in Serbia, Bosnia and Albania.This line ol' study can substantially be supported and enlarged byfield work on lblk nleasuremL'nt systcms in the countries once withinthe Ottorttittt cmpirc.

oRt(;tNS

The Ottomart imperial metrological system itself apparently owedits formation to a conrbination of Turkish. Islamic and local traditions.There arc- indications ol- an original Turkish measuring system inTurkestan based on ar$tnand btttnuul. Middle Persian origins of these

two words 3 can be interpreted as the influence of the Persian system

: In arr inquir_1 trl'Abdulkrrdir inen. I-iirk Itulk Bilgisitrr uit ,lluddcltr. lstanbul 1910.

f7,5,c'lclrrrr tIut the lirlltruirrt nreilsrlrcs n'crc still ilt use itt Artattlliu tt that titttc: ur;trt,

hatnrun, (('!ltt, (nl(i:(,, kilt, okku, dl;ek, s()nt(rr. (i'tca is lbund in an Otttlntan rc'gula-

rion dared l5-ll (sec l3crinclc-i-Vcinstein. XV-l)conccrning goods intported liom Circassia.

Tcrdal'thc trorr.l is prtrnouncr-'d iirlrrir, ('L'!(n, ('i!(tt. I'L'li.'tt( altd sil on. nlcaning a large

h;,tskct t() eitrr\ slr.r\\. tlrcnce. rr trrtil ()l' rltci.rsurc lilr :tntw'. I-hc uord colllcs liorn 1it,clricd rcctl to rtltkc l'xrskcts 1l)t'rlctttc St):/rlga, lll. lOSIJ, ll19--101.

r R. R. Ari.rt.,,Batrnan >,. islint,ltt.tikloJtdi.sr. ll, 3'l-1: Ibid., <Ar$tn" (T. H.). I,615-616:G. Claust'rrr. .-ltt I:ttrrntlogi<ul Dictiotrur.t ttl Pra-l-hirtccntlt Ccntur-t"furkish, Oxlord : Thc

Clurcndon llrrr.tsc. 1971, -ll)-i--l(Xr. his ctlntol()!t\ (1rrrl-: 'solttcthiltg wltich sirrks') citttnot

be acccplcd

lNl l{Ol)UCl-lON TO O1-TON{AN l\lh l-ltOLO(i\ 3ll

as a result of Turks' commercial relations with Iran through theSogdians. On tne other hand, Chinese intluence, particularly in thcUighur culture area, is attested.

ArStn, also in the lbrrn of arSun, cujtn, ulg'irt in Tr-rrkish dialects, wr.rsIionr the Pahlavt uru,stt (new Pcrsian '. draS, ru$. Butttmn, butlnlair in theUighur docunrents, came lrotn the Pahlavr word petnldn, in ancientPersian putittruna. Composed of put tpad) and nutut putimAtru nTayoriginate lrom <the mana ol- the king)) of the late Assyrian systcm(see App. I). According to the Uighur texts, it was used in measuringmeat, cotton, grain and various groceries as well as wine and rvater.Also. the surlace of sown land was shown to be meiisured tn budnrun.In modern times it was identified as the equivalent. o1'one Chineseketti or 604.79 gr. In Buhara it equalled 45.093 kg. The series of themeasure was as follows : I batntan : 4 uiltser : 80 urua. The use' ofbatman in lran, and its spread in Anatolia, may be associated withthe Selluk and Mongol rule. Batmar and nrcirut were usecl inter-changeably in the Ilkhanid Iran s. Batntan was known to Fr. B.Pegolotti u at Ayasoluk (Ephesus) around 1340. He states :

Il peso d'Altoluogo si chiama 'huttirttuno, trl qualc pcso si vende lnAltoluogo tuttc mercatantie. Panni lani si vendono ad Altoluogo a ur.lir

misura che si chianra u(('ono. Biado si vende in Altoluogo a moggio (...;Battimano I d'Altoluogo di cosa che non nianchi torna in Cenovalibbre 32. Ivloggio 100 d'Altoluogo di biado f-anno in Genova mine -57.

Clearly. hatnrun was the basic weight in this busy Turkish (Aydrn)port and apparently used for the same commodities as in Central Asiacenturies ago. lt weighed 32 Cenoese libhre or 10.144 kg. (One huttclrcclrrroggio ol' wheat equalled 57 ntine of Gettoa or 57 x 83 kg :4131 kg; lbr libbru .;rr'td minu of Genoa sec Hccrs, Piccarniglio. 2l:thus, I nrcggio (trtud or kile) equalled 41.31 kg. .lccono lbr punni[wollcncloth] may be a distorted spelling of arSwr (urt'ono) rather than Arme-nian gankoun: Evans, 55 note 5).

At any rate, the original Turkish measuring system must hal'e cotlleinto existence already in Central Asia as a result of intensi"'e com-mercial relations with Iran and China 7. A closer study of Uighurdocuments ir thc future may reveal the Turkish systern in detail. DivanLugut al-Tili'k8 (written in 1074 or 1077) contains these measures:

o Scc R. R. Arut, (Balrnun >>, ibid.5 Sce /.1/U. t7-ll." Lu Prutit'u lellu.llcrcttturtt, cd. Allan Evans, Cantbridgc, IVlass.. 1936, -5-j-56.' Ir) castern -furkish

r'i--rJ ctttltcs liom r''i-t.sr', a Chinesc li)()l nleasure and 7lr liorrrr'ia, a C'hirtcsc pound : B. l-lrrli'r. Sitw-lruttirzl. Ncw Ytrrk : l)itragort llook (irrllcry.1967,519; tbr Uighur ntelrsllrcs scc N. Yanrada. ,r<Four Notcs r)n Scvcral Nurrics lirrWcights and IVtcasures in L;ighur l)r)cumctrts>. Slrrr/rrt

'l-tu't'ittt. cd. Ligcti. -19 l-98. ,\lhvidtrr ich, ,llutrriul.t ptt .llt'trttltt.qii SrrJnaytkortti Sretbtci .{--ii. l\losctrri 197().

n I lnt indcbtcd ttr Rrrbcrt DanktrtL'lbr the abr)\'c list: scc tlrc ncri cclititrn trl'the

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3t4 HALII- INALCIK

artry (half a balanced load), iilgii, krklun (a.heaping nleasure), sugu(al-miky,A/, a grain tneasure), krin'g'i (: l0 rat[)e, batmun (: I matru),

lgag (: I Jursah), tuda ('a piece of land extending as lar as the eye

reaches'), kulug (lathom), ktrrrs, karr (;irc1' ), I'rg (iiru' ).

The surc-st way to dcternrine the origins of Ottoman ntetrology is

to examine the physical mcasures fiom the Seljukid period.

Preliminary studies of Seljuk and early Ottoman weights were carriedout by Nancy Pyle'o. She studied the Seljuk ring weights and fbundthem to vary in weight between 30 g and 1290 gr'. They are all made

of bronze and copper and some bear stamps, tanrgas. of Ottomantimes. She suggests t 2 that < the ring shape of these weights apparentlyexclusive to Anatolia at the time of the Seljuks, was spread by theOttomans in the form of okkas to the lar corners of the Middle East>.They can be used lor metrological studies only when detailed listswith exact weights are' published. It is extremely curious that some

of them bear nntgas of early Ottomiin Sultanstr. These weights maybe standard weights kept in the central treasury department or madeon the models coming fiom there.

All of the sixty-one ring weights studied by Nancy Pyle are based

on dirhenl and cast in a series of pieces, the largest unit being 400dirhems. The descending units are : 200 clirhems (l 12), 100 dirhems ( I /4),50 dirhems (l/8), 25 dirhents (l/16) and l0 dirherns (l/a0). Departingfrom the assumption that the Anatolian tJirhem weighed 3.20135 g, she

is of the opinion that physical changes which occured over time were

responsible for the variations in the ring weights. She observed thatthemajority of them vary less than l0 percent <from the standardunits of dirhents>. One actual okka piece weighed 1248.835 g or 389

dirhem (see chart no. l). If we take Ottoman clirlrcltr as 3.072 g (instead

Dit'drr; Tiirk $ivalcri Liigutt, eds. R. Dankoffand J. Kelly, Cantbridge : Harvard PrintingOffice. 1982. l-ll.

e Perhaps the Pcrsian v'ord ktiJg'a liom Arabic kuJJu (the basin or scale of a balance)

might be suggested as an etymology of kdwgi.ln western Trrrkish we tlnd kepg'e < ktiJ;e.ro <Ortoman Okka Weights >, Belltten, 61, Ankara : Turkish liistorical Socicty,

January 1977, I l5-l2l: ilun, <Anltolian ltirtg WeiglltsD, J()untul o/ Turkish Studi<'s,

II, Cambridge, 1978, 97-106: lbr the existing collections see N. Pyle, I0l, notc l; tbrPersian wcights Bruno Kisch, Sla/cs und lVaight.r, New Haven, 1965, Paul Balog, <Pesi

di Bronzo Islarnici del XIII sccolo >, ,lrtulcrni Ticirtt'si li i\,t urrti,trtttttiL'u tt Cotttitr'riluClassit'ln', Lugrttt..r. I 971' 179-87.

'r N. Pylc, r<.Attatolirttt Iting Weights>>, 9tl, l0l.| 2 Ibid.. 98.rr The tunrgu on the rcverse side of the bronze ring weight photographed and published

by Pyle, Ibid.. p. 106, ll-cure -5, can be read rs Nlchnrcd b. Bayczid Uan; comparc

P. Wittek, <Notes sur h tughra ottomanc>, B.t':untirtrr, XX, 1950, p. 27'l; and Suha

Umur. O5ntunlt Pulisuh Tudrulurr,lstanbul : Cent Yayrnevi. 1980' 99-102.

INT'RODUCI'ION TO OI'TOMAN MEI'ROLOC\ 3r5

of 3.207 g) the Ottoman standard oftka should actually be 1228.8 g.At any rate, she believes these weights cannot be assigned to the seriesof the milkalunits of Iran.

The Ottoman ring weights of the sixteenth century, Pyle notes, aredifferent from these <Seljuk)) ones in appearance. The ottoman weightshave no decorative rnotils and (are often stanped on thc- surlirce>>with identilying rugra. The ear_liest ottoman okku weights dated byPyle belong to Siileyman I (1402-l4l l).

For the Seljukid period, the vakfilyes (pious loundation deeds)'aconstitute another reliable source fbr the weights and measures. Inone of the earliest vakfiyyes, that of Karatay dated 65111253, v"'hichwas drawn up for his caravanserail ls, ul.ti1ta, irclab, and mucld arereferred to as the measures used in the distribution of the provisions

-meat, wheat and bread - to the guests and employees t6. It is saidthat every guest was to be given three ulSiya of bread daily, <the ul;iy,aweighing one hundred dirhem))r7, <The oklia (ul;iyu) in general usein this peri<od in Anatolia>, Osman Turan suggests, ((was most likely ofthat weight>, that is, one hundred dirhem. One of the weight ringsexamined by L. Pylctu is indeed'of a weight of one hundred dirhetrtor about 320 gte. This was the equivalent of the Byzantine argirikilitra (Schilbach, 229) or what is called ratl Rilmi (321 .428 g: Hinz, 3l).

Also in the vakfiyy'e of Kemal al-Din Alrmed (d. 72511324)20, breadis distributed <by ukiya of Sivas> which was apparently l0A dirhem.In Pegolotti (p.65) 2*! ntene (mcinn) of Sivas equalled I ruotoli of Acreor Famagusta. He added that all goods are sold in the ruotolo of Sivas(< Salvastro ))). Since I ruotolo of Acre equalled 2.2 kg, I mcinn of SivascorrespondeC to 977 g (Hinz, 2l). Neither ruotoli nor mene of Sivas inPegolotti corrc3i;1nd to the full okka (400 dirhent) or its subdivisionsas tabulated in N. Pyle (p. 103)2r. Pegolotti's weights might be'con-nected with the transit merchandise from Iran to Syria. In the everydaytransactions in Sivas, a one hundred dirhem piece of okka (in Pyle'slist i of okka) must be used as demonstrated in the vakfiy1,es. This

'o For a list ol'the published vukfiyyes of this period see Kayaoglu, Vakllur Dergtsi,XIII, I-I5.

ts Published by Osman Turan, <Selquk Devri Vaklryeleri, Ill. Celaleddin Kararay.Vakrllarr ve Vakfiyelcri>, Bt,lltten, Xlll45, 11-171.

tb lbid.,lines 63. 65, 91.t1 lbid., p. 95 line 20tt.tE Pyle, 99.re ln the vukJi.t'1'e ol'Sahib Ata (ed. by $adi Bayram and Ahmct Hanrdr Karabacak.

<Sahib Ata Fahrtid-din ,\li'nin Konya imaret ve Si','as Gokmcdresc Vakliyclcri,,,Vuk(lur Dergi.si, XIII. ll-69) thcre seems to be a relcrcnce to a varicty of okkawcights (sec p.56;thc prirrted Arabic text is not legible).

2o ismel Kayaollu, <<Rahatoglu ve Vakfiyesi>, llukllur Dergisi, Xlll. Arabic rr'xtp. 20, line 65.

2r Unless there existed an okku subdivision of 300 dirht,nr.

Page 4: Ottoman Metrology

316 II,\I II INAI-('IK I\I tiOI)t ('l ION l-O Ol lO\1.\\ \ll:I R()t.o(;\

T,ruLc I

Wt,lt;il1S. \ll \sL I<ts .\\t) IIR]\ls l\l)l('.\Tl\(, ( \il (,()t{llrs rlt CoODstr .1.1t l ttr tt tt-t R.r.7tD7,.rxD /tl.s tt.t,tt. I: tr r't n t i(!,r li{,ir

ll?.)t /

is identical to rutl Rfinti or Byzantine urgiriki litru. This weight is alsoidentical uith the Ottoman litlre of 100 tlirlrcnl in the butntan system.The lact rhat the Ottonrans revalidatcd and used Seljuk ring weightsis taken :rs a prool'that thc- Ottornan okku was also based on rlirltentwith the sante weight. While Byzantine /itra seems to have been cont-monlyuseditissa|etoSaythirtIranian-Ilkhanidtradition(hutmun>niin) cclnstitLrtccJ the busis o1'<<the imperial-olficial)) nteasuring systemof Turkel' bclitre thc risc o1'the C)ttomans. Handbooks on state financeswritten ih Irun ilere lbllou,ed in the chanceries of Anatolian states22.

The fbllowing list ol'tcrms used in connection rvith measures may givcan idea ol- thc c.\l.cnt to rvhich thc Ottomans inherited this tradition(see Table l).

Besidc's ol,ku (400 dirlrcrrr) ancl lidrt' (100 dirlu:rrt). tttiinn and butnrunwere apparently widely uscd as larger units in Anatolia in the earlyl4th century. In the 1330's, Al 'Umari23, obtaining his inforrnationfrom two visitors to Anatolia, reported that there, ratlvaried lrom oneregiorr to another betweetr 8 and l2 Egyptian ratl. According to thesame sourcc2a, Bursa's rutlwas identical to that ol'Gerntiyan whichrvas 3120 dirlu'nr. Since I Egyptian clirlutn equalled 4.68 g (Hinz, 4),one Gerrniy'an or llurs;,t rutl was 3120 x .1.6ti : 14.600 kg. Flere. r'allwas apprrrcntly conlirsccl with niinn or hutnrun. As a matter of lact aunit of 4 ttu'itttt which is lburrcl in India, with a wcight varying betwu-en

12-16 kg (in Surrt' 1.1.969 kg) (Hinz,22-23), niight be the same asthe rutl (1 triirttt\ ol-rvestertt Arlatolia.

:: Scc Z.\'. -l-oglr11. ,, i\'logtrlllrr l)sr rindc Arlrckrlu'nun Iktislili Vrrzilctir,, 'l'iirk

llukuk yt'iAti.strt lttrilti .ll((tnu(t.\'t. l. I9ll. I-i. /lt'.trrlri-tt'l:uliiki)'.u7 rliscovcrcd h1

Z. V. -l-rrgrrn is ctlitecl bt Walthcr Ilint. Dfu llcsili-.t't' I'-uliiki.r)li ,lt'.t '.'1luhtlltllt Iltrt,llohutttrttuLl Ihn Ki.t'tl ttl-.llt7:utrtlttrirti. l:itt l)(r.\i.\( /t(r kitludut dc.s .stttutliL'/tL'tt llt'tltrtuttc.t-rr'(,.r(,/r.r ( tttn l-16-l l, Wicsbrrclctt : Franz Stcincr Vcrlag. l95l . firr othcr llnancial hand-

books sce Ibicl.. [,inliihrun,q, ltlso Nclat Coy'i.inq. I)u.: .sttgt'rtunnt( C.it)tL' tt l-llt'.ttilt tlt'.s'Enid rt.r-5rlrnli. trrrpublislted Ph.[). disscrllttirltt. Gottinge n 1962 . idcttt. <. lntird es-

Serari vc Ilseri >. 'l'urilt DL'r.qi:i. XV 10. lstanbul : Univcrsity ol' Istitrtbul. Faculty' rrl'Lette-rs. 196-5, 7-l-fi6: iVlirkrrntal Nlbipour. I)it bt'idttt pcr.si:L'lrctt Lcitliidur dr's I:uluk',11i-.t't, 7'ultri:i illttr tlu.t .\t(rutli(lt( Rt't'lrrturtg.srr't'st'tr itrr 11. Jultrhund(rt, unpublishe'd

Ph.D. disscrtrrtion. (iiittirrgcrr, 197--l . rrlso scc the importurtt studl'ol'Walther llinz. <, IhsRcchnurigs*cscrr oricrrtulrschcr Rcichslinlnziitntcr inr lVlittclalteri>, /)t'r l.tlutrt.19. Bcrlin

19.19. l-19 and I l5-l+l Anronr the sources ol'thc latc llkhanid pcriod in Iratt, .llukutt'hit.cd. Nl Srrli. L,rtltorc. l')-15rrrtd rirtltlecd. /li'l'-r/lu,ririi ol'Ilte rizir ILu5icl rrl-l)in. erl . I. Al,srrr.

Tchnrn. trlso corr(lrin vlrlrlrblc irtlilrttuttitltt ol'tltc ttteltsttrittlr s\stctlt tll'lrutt lilr tlris

purticular pcrl()(1.rr .\l .L'rttrtri.

.l/,rrrrliA. l9--lfi:t i6. Jl

[:quivltlents irt ()tttrrilrrr'l'urk

r sh

'.4lttl : nunrbcr (ol'aninurl:Ak;u : silvc'r coinRir-i u.slt: horsc pirckltrad

Btir-i ttstt't': mule packlcllrcl

('ir t h : nrrusLlrc tll' eltplreitl

Iunrbe r. irort bur. ctc

(lor graln)

Diistiit'i: a sltcet (ol' l'ur)

Ditrclr : money ol'accountDirhunr: wcight (lirr nrLrsk, clrugs, sallion, aloc

wclod, c'tc. )

Furd : a single piece (ol'carpe t)

Iluhbu: a gntin (ol'pcarl)Ltintl : (pl. uhtrulll cartrcl lold. or any packlotdkhdu: hilt (rl'suord or bow')

Ku.t'lsii r nreirSUre or crtpltcity' (lbr grain)

Kilida: so n.lJn) collrtrs (ol'huntirtg animalsl

Kit'u: piecc (til-rtrohuir. stonc, tcltt. ctc.)

Kutir : a train ol' scvcrt earncls

Lt't'. A piecc (ol'Iiuropcatt eloth):ll ulil: : strilnd (ol' pcirrls)

,lltjnn : rleight (lirr spiccs, srrrtclal, mcat, breaci, ironinrplcnrcnts. barlcv in retuill

,l'l ilkul: r.nusk. prccior.rs \loncs. ingot ol'golci or silvcr,lluculludd: books

tlludl: (Asia Nl irror) It)clsLrrc litr grairt

!,1ulur : pcrs()n. ttutnber (ol' pcrsotts)

Prl.stit,'. suk irlit lLittrtlpeun u'oolen cloth)

Ra'.r (pl. rrr'u.r) : head (ol'anirnal),Sorr : bar (ol'silvcr). cu. 516 gr. (l{inz)Tultd, tulrtdtli: a sltect 1of'lirr)'Jtl* (pl tikdt): it srttglc (gurrnent)

Tut hckii : lirur (horsc-shocs)'J'p[ . .sr1l Qrulhair). .utkirlrit 1l:urtipcan u'oolcn cloth)

silk cloth. postin (l'ur). A(//rrr and .rrrrabil (shirt

iur(l tr()u)ers). u,t/rji (\irtir),

l'ukr, vikr : packltxrrl

/,tt't \:it' r't : a plir (ol' sltoe s. stirrups)

l.iri' : tcrtiles, vilid lsilk eloth), kirbu.s (eotton or

llur lirbrrc)

'.'lth'tl

.'lkSu

.'l r-t tikii

Kutrr-viikii('r'rlr (rarcll uscrl. scc ttttrtltl

irnd Arlt')

Dr:lt'IIu.tt'trt' ( sikkt't. ttIttot

Dirltttn (:ce rtrlrul

F-trtl

I luhhtI.l itttl. tl,'y, - t iiAli. riiAKttlr:rt

l\t',t'/1 r', kL')'l or kiltKililtIt'i t- tr

A'rrtrJr' (u tntitt of' sir clrrncls)( rilrc )

Di:i,lltn

.ll tlAil,lliitrllcd.Il rttl. nrtitl.\'clu'Itu.sttu, t.skirlit. IttAu (l ltLt.ttLt

: ,50 _:ir.a-)

Rt".r. rl'rJ.r

Sont

lhItu. ILtlttttt tt

t'dk(ritrc)

1ir7r (;1 b;1lr'I

(rirrc)

/.tyc.:itti<'/it'A'. Ltt'lktt I ur)ttt 'rtdi.

Page 5: Ottoman Metrology

3r8 lt,\1 il_ IN \t ( lK lN r i'OI)tr('l'l()N l'O Ol-l'ONl/\N fU[: I l{Ol ()(;\

Tqslr ll

It rt l.tl \\ | t(;lils ,\\l) Ntti\S('RLs IN trsE t\'. I til l-t \ \\ I

(Pt'c;oLotr t. t,i'lrl)

Giryr, or .qurdr. or fiurt7rKrbtl. kubulDirltctrr

tlI ilknl,lltkAik 1in Sr riu),lI trlrt, ntr I t'L', ntdt urd

.lI tn

.ll ul.

0kk,t

ttrtlitt

L'ttkt', ttiigi, riikiKurtu. usctl in Albania ti>r

grain mcasure during thellrst declcie s ol'the Ottonranrule . it is relbrrcd to as a

nlcasurc lionr prc-ott()nti.lltpcriod.

Rub' , E'tir.t t'k

Lidrt. /ot/t'rt

clue: ((ll- the gold coin (//rrri) is to be of pure gold. 129 coins arc struck fionr one

hurrclrcd nilkal ol'soli goltl ,, 1l{cgulations of thc mint rrl' Scrrc:. 1'KSI-. Rerun l'/-i-5,

tblio l-jll). An Ottoman (l()cunt0nt r"'stablishes that I ntilkil cquallctl 1.5 r/rrlrt'rt (scc

llarkan, lf',t1, XtX. lj--l). A cornpletc list of thc amounts ol gold or siircr u'ith thc

cxact l)umber ol cclins struek elrch tinre can be establishccl fiotn tltc ()ttornart recorrls.'I'heir comparisorrs *'ith thc retual coins can tcll us thc cxuet werght of ltilArJl rrntl

dirlrcn units lirr coinagr al a gircrt tintc. Such I study is still tLr bc citrne

rl9

The Seljukid SLrlti.lnirtc and the Turconran beyliks werc lbllnded onByzantinc tcrritories and cstablished con'rmercial relations with Italianmaritime statc-stt. An active trade, particularly in wheat, alum andcotton had developc-d betu,een ltall,and Turkey in the period 1200-1350. Thcrc' was also a lurge-scale trarrsit trade between Asia and theMcciitcrr':.lnci.u'l thrtluglt lnrtt attcl Anltcllil in thc slurlc pcriod. 'l-hcn,

two scts rtl'ucights r.urcl ttrcltsurcs, B)'zr.ultinc ancl Arlbo-lrlnian, contri-buted to thc lilrntation ol an international lltalian) measuring sl,stentwhich wils pre\/alertt in the conrmercial transactions in the Levant.In othr'r \'ords u,ltilc' in the past Rornan-Byzantine (and Iranian)systems had beconlL- tht-' basis of thc Islarnic weights and measures inthe post-Crusacles period it was Islan'r that provided the basis of aninternationlil measLlrinq svstem:b (see Table il).

In brief'. the Seljukid and Italian sources ol- the early fourteenthcentury irttcst lhat hutntun, lidrc. okka, kuntir a,r'td, kilt:, the basicterntinologv ilt thc Ottontan systent w'r-rr' comnronly' usecl lbr weightsluncl rttclsut'cs itt thc Scl-irrkitl Asil IV{inor bclirrc thc'Ottonlrn perir)d.

Otttltttttt oA'Au (r'lrArllr', lA'rlr'). w'hich becanrc thc basic unit in theOttomatn $'cigilts s)'stcnr, equaled 100 dirlrctn or ten tinles onc ;rrr'it,uki)'.r't'(sc'e Tuble lll) or four tinres rutl Rilnri (lirlra)of 100 dirltt,trr.Tlrus, the idcntilrcation ol' the exact w'eieht ctl' dirhenr is of crucialimport;.rncc. ln the calcr-rlutions ol' oAA.a in kg. Walter Hinz's sug-gestion 21 1l okku : 1.2828 kg, basc'd onl dirhern: 3.207g) is lollowedin all recent publications \\'hereas according to Sahillioglu's calcula-tions r8. the olliciiil dirhun in use (in coinage) dou,n to thc end of the

r5 [n addition to W. FIeycl, I!rl.ttoirt'dtt tttrnrnt'rtt'<ltt l.t'tutil. l, cd. fr. Ray'naud.Paris. I936. rc'ccntlv ciiscorered dclcunrcnts show'that thcse comr.nercial relations u'crccloser than rrc- rcllizcd . scc Ostt.tr.ttt Turati. I'lirktvt' Stlguklulurt Hukkrndu Rt,.snti I csikulur'.Ankura : Turkislt llisttrrierrl Socictl . l95ti; L--. Zuch;.rriudou, ,,Scpt truitcls irrctlits cntrcVenrsc ct lc:6tttirats d'A1drn et clc l\lentele (l l-1 l-l-1()7),,, Stutli prc-()t!rtttttttti I OII()ntLtnt.

Napoli, 1976, l19-2'10.2n Non' scc E, Schilbuclr, R)':utttitri.s<he .lletrtthtgr,', I, l\{unchcn: C'. H. Ileck'schc

Verlagsbuchhandluns. 1 970, I 75 lf.2' IMG,l-t\: itfunr,,,Hlperper und Asperr,. Dcr l.slutn, 19, 196-1,79-ti9.

'o O. L. Barklrn, <,J-hc Pricc' Rcvolution of the Sixtcenth C'entur\': A 1'urrring Pointin the Eccrntrrttic History ol'thc- Near Easlr,, lntt'rtrcttiortul Jourtnl ol t\'litldlt, Eu.st Studie.s,

VI I, Janurrrr l()7-5. ll note 2. garc u sumnri.rrl ol'Sahillioglu's llndines in his Ph D.dissertation.

'fabrizl Jirltt'trr, ucighing -1.071 g, uas uscd in thc Ottoman cmpire untilthe end r:l'thc scvcntcetrth ccntur). Sahilloglu assL'rts that in the .l,500's and l-571 thctlirfurn rvas J.072 g. (Btlg,'lrr, I\'. lt'': illt,23, 176); <according to our calculatignsl.rrrgcf tlr thc gold coin ol' N{chrncd ll,r. hc s.rys (( one .lirltL'tn rvas -1.()71 g. until thcmiddlc ol'thc sL'\'cntuenth centur\',, lBI-'I'D.1. 1969. -191.'fhe sur'i dirht,rtt u'as delinitclyljxcd as -l.ll5 g (l.llG.,1;. but Dlnttski (Dantascus) tlirlrcttr ueighc'd -1.086 g lHinz, -r).

Iror (iuzan K hun': rnonctilrv rclorm and thc rve ight o| dirhcn sce Z. V. -['ogan,

<<N{oiollar,,. I IIl.II. l, 5, ll. I:clr thc Ottornatt drr/t,'ttr and changes introducccl orlegalizcci ut r lrrious clutcs. C)ttt>rnatr clocrulcl)tation has still to bc carcfully collcctedancl stuclicd.

-[ hc lirllowing is ;.ur exlnrplc ol- hou' such rlocunle nts can sirc il dee isrve

Bcrllc' (sce Schilbach : Bot,riior')Cunturo (Arabic'. kintar known in two units large

and snrall: sce Schilbirch : 1uv'lt1r'ctptor', XuvT(I-prov)

Carrura (Arabic : girir)Cubello (see Schilbach : 1oL,[]ci.ror'.;Dirt'rrttt (Arabic : dirltunr. sce Hinz, l-8; Schilbach :

bpaXptl, bpuptov)Lihbru, see ruotolo '

trlutit'ule (Arabic : rnitkdl. sec Schilbach ; d(uyrov):ll t<'tt<'t'tt ( Ara bic : tnuk k ik I

'lIt'tro (Arabic : ,n('(r'(') (see Schilbach : [urpot',Lrttin : tnctru. tnat r(lLt, rtritr,'tu)

,llinu (Arabic rrttirtrr) (sc'e Schilbach: pivu; Hinz:trttittn)

.lltrygio lrntttltlli or ttrtttti,'llr : I l-l ttl- lro.q.grir;

Arabic : trtudd; Schilbach : irirtiro;)()tt'hiu (Arabic : rlrArllcr or riAi.r'cr; sce Schilbach :

oirTTiu)

Ont'iu (Arabic : rArlu; sec Sehilbach : oriyyia, onca)

Quurtu (Roman-Byzantinr', sc'c Schilbach : Tupru;Pegolotti refers to it as a mcasure of grain inPcra, ol-oil in Rhodcs rnd wine in Cyprus. This<,one lburth)) mcrrsurr is used rridely in ltaly,Turtis, Spain a;:cl Errqlltncl)

Rubo. rovu, riot'tt, urrohr.r (fiortt Arabic ur-ruh')Ruotolo, libhru (Artttic '. ul-rut l: rce Schilbach :

iirpu, libra)

Page 6: Ottoman Metrology

310 lt\til lN\l(lK

sr'vcrrtecltlh ccttturr \\'lts 'fuhri:I dirlunt ol'3.072 g uncl afier that tintetlre Rrirri iirlu'ttt ol'-1.207. lt is kno\\'r'r that Ottontrrns also used Dimisktdirhettt nhich u'as cqual to i.086 sr". The quc-stion is u,liether theRiltttt dirltt'trr tl'as itt usc'itt cveryclay'litb belbrc it wus nracle the standardfor coinagc. In ull our citlcul:.ttiorrs here w'e lbllow,ed thc RrTlri rlirlutnol-3.207 u uciglrt or onc of;f,rr - l.2li2tl kg.

I iur r lll.)rli i,( \\()\l( \l ,\\tl(,nlS \((()l{l)t\(, t(l Nllttrttt> l\lttXf I\lt'ru''

Ftrr -1,11"1 rltt ltrttr scc tttlrtt.

IHt l)t \t_ \\tt(;ilts s\st[.\t \\D ilil.: t)tot)t..('t\t\t. s\slt.\t

In the Ottotttan s)'s[em ol-weights as given in the lificenth cel]turyhandbooks written lbr the finance department scribcs, as well as irlthe sixteenth celttury oflicial records (sec'TKS. Revan,43a) two svstemsare clearly'drstinguished:one based ort lorlra, or kantar litlre.siequal to176 dirhetn (: 561.132 g). and the other on lidre, or ,c:ne litlre.;iequalto I00 dirhgtt (: 120.7 g) (sornetirnes l2A dirhatl : 3iJ4.84 g).

Thcnce. t\\o weight series w,ere derived :

I hutntutt : 72 liilrt, : 7200 dirltt,tn (: 23.090 kg)I kutilir : l0() lolru : 17600 tlirlu,n (: 56.4-13 kg)The first series was used in u'eighing line valuable goods, and the seconclseries, lbr hc'avt,goods. Silvcr r.l,as ueighed and cornputcd in litlre.

r'' Stltcr'\\i.r\ *ciqlterl trt DurtisAi tlirh.'rrr irr thc silrcr nrincs of'sicieroklpsa(Nlittlcrttt'klt,rri.t) rtrt(l Ktiit()\() : sdc R. ,\rrheggcr lurrl ll. inulcrk. Ktitttttttttltrtc. (t6.

'\r)r Nl . \1. rr llte tnttt:llrttrr lrnc,l c()lnnrcl.ltlr(t ol' .llrtltuki' ul-.1b/tur. a c()ntpcncliuntol lslrtntie luri br lbnthirrt al-l.lalabi (l-l-59-15-19; w'ho canrc lionr AIeppo arrtl serrledin lstanbtrl l.lcrI'trlirl's tntn:lulitln had a uidc circulution in tlic Ottorrran errrnircI u:c'd ll:; ctliti,,,; rt'l-llli. rol. l. l:turrbul. l-il--5 l.

I rrr.rA - ir() rc7

l.ra' ----, S r,rtlI llAir'.r't' - lll tlirlt<'trt

Jr)L'itsLtrL' lbr l ht-' thi ngs ttl' grca r q ua D ti t;ttteas[lre lirp ths tltings ot'snlrll quuntit-l

I hirrtl i ) t:iA : )l)l) tilttutt btttt)ttt)l

I tiuitrtt i hdutt(tn, : l(r() tltr/tt'trt(t\ dirltttrr: I i:tttt'

l()r Cr)ll()n

| 1,tr,tA , .\(t r',tt I

I rutl '-. ll rrrAir ll

I Airlru - i0 lttttttttttt

l\ Ilt()t)L t'llO\ IO Ol'l()NlAN Ill: ll{()l o(;\ .tl I

We llnd the twct dillbrent weight series in the pre-Ottor'nllr'r slsteprsas lbllou,s (Flinz l6-13. 27-3-i; Schilbach. 285)Egypt: I rul.fttlfitli: l2 illiiya : 144 clirlrttt: -150 g (tbr tinc goocls)

rutlkultir : 160 dirlrcnr : 500 e (fbr ordinarl,goc-rcls)Syrirr : ratl : 600 dirhent : L850 kg

Iritn :

Ztlhiri rtul : 180 dirhc,,, :- 1.500 kgsrrri.rf l ttrIiun - ]60 dirlrt'ttt: liJi sItcrrr'1' ('l-lbriz-i) rtttitttt : -i kg

Venice: lihhru s'ottilc: 301.230 glibbra s,'().rf(/ : 357.749 g

Genoa : lihbru .\ottil( : 316.750 glibbru gros.ta : 3118.450 g

In rddition to the clual system in weights ariother continuing tradititlpis the duodecirnal systern. The duodecimal- und lie.radccirnul-s,\,stenrsilppart-ntly originatcd lionr the Mesopotanria und wirs tr:.rrrsniittcclthrough the Greco-Roman system to the Meditcrrurnean world.

In his recent work on Byzantine metrology', Erich Schrlbach pointcdoul 3oh that the basic unit upon which depencled all other Btzantineweight units, ancl the measures'derived ll-oni thc w.eights, was thckryul>r111 ).itpu. the accorrnting pound. This poLrncl \\,1s rlircctllrelated to the lihru ol- the Rontan empire. In thc'latc'Rorniln empire thcsystem was based on the following series: I libru : 12 uttciu : -lf,i

.sit'iliuts : J2 .;c.t'tttlu : 96 drucluttt' : 2titi scripultutt : 5J(t oholtt.s.and 100 /r),'rr was cstintated as I cent(uuriutrt. Altcr the nronetar),refiornls of Constal)tine the Great the /rbra was assignccl il w,ciglrtcorresponding to 326. l6 g

Irr thc- Byzantinc'enrpire loguriki lilra, the golcl pouncl. u,as rlivicleclas lbllows : I ioTuprlr ),[tpa : 12 oiTylur : 72 iquTru : l7]SItpu^tru : 6912 otto{_oxxlrr. The basis of- this series - | litru :a 72 soliclif nomi.s'ntd gold piece - lvas generally mainrained down tothe twellih century. In order to determine with thc- greatest precisronthe actual rveight ol- litrq in various periods. Erich Schilbach uscclstatistical data based on the monuments and gold coins. and he canreto the following conclusions 32 : 322 g (6th-7th centuries); 32C) g (7th-9rhcenturies); and 319 g (in the lbllowing periodl.

Under Islam tlte Greco-Roman systern continucci, and rnainl.ailreclsirnilar lerrninology: kutudr (t'entenariutrt), rutl (litru), ilki.t,u (rrtl,girtuttt'iu).rnitktll (a.rugiu)trnd dirlrunt (druclunt'), kirit (kt,rutiu./. In lact.the two types ol' litru (litre) of the Greco-Rornan and Bl,zantincperiods were to be found in the lslan-ric nretrological s)stent. l-hcByzantine argiriki litru, also known as m(gu tulunton. w,hich ',1'as usccl

"'t' Bt':rtttlttri.st/tt' .llt'trttlo.qit. Munchcn: C'. fl . llcek':che \'crluu:frrrchhlrrrrllurrr:.197(). l(r() l-or tlrc uncrerrt \lc\()l)otlrnia:ee Ap. l.

" lhid.. l6l-l()1.rt Il'i,l . 166.

Page 7: Ottoman Metrology

lll il \t tt l\ \t( lK

cr)ptplolllr,ip rr';.rrle. rreighcd -l-1,1.-l-l-l g ultd corrcspolttlctl to l2i oirTyiur

lurlgiu)rr.' bii.6 SchilbacS trclie\,cs thatr+ undcr thc Unayyads, thc Byzantirtc

ttrgiriki lirru. ucighrng .333.333 I (or in.early Byzantine period 337.5. g)'

,..i,,pi.1.t lr tltrntiil.rnt pltrcc irt dtc'Arabic ntctrtlltlgical s1'stcttr and haci

i.l \\r'ight trl'.1-i7 55 g.

An Upr;.r11r.rcl lrtrl u.'ight ol-the yc'ur 7-l-1 A.D.. cxltnirrecl bi R. Etting-harrserr r... illus lituprl t9 g'eig11 -337.-5-i g. Since I dirltott wciglit cor-resporl(1.r1 t() I .l ttti1l,i1l. thc dirhcnr in tltis rurl \\'lts conlputecl lts-1. ll5 g. ,\bbltsirl sli.lss rl cights ctlttllt'ttt lhc sillllc r".

l'rtrt t IV

[:l rrnt \\ t l(,lt t s. ..\ ttt ()l)l ( l\l \l \) \l t \l\((()rit)l\(, l(} \\.lltrz trrr I-. S< ]lllli\(lir

Evide.ntlt. thc durlclccimal s),stenr \\'ils an ltritlinletic arri,lllgen'lentfollorvecl bj the llnar.rcr' sccretirries and accounting expcrts that dL-ter-

mincd thc particulur scriul arrangcments itl l'arious mcltsurittg s)'sl.sllls.

It must h1r,c bccn upplied lirst to the coittitgc systclll, ancl sirtce golcl

and silyer coinage recluired precision in rveight to the highe'st degrec.

it u,as taken trs ite nroclel by'other serial arrangemellts. Ill thc Greco-

Roman w,orlcl rhe rvcight ol .wlidu.s,nontisntotu L\nd rts subdivisiclns, and

in the lsllmic culturc arsa Ihi,rt ctI' dlnur, ltnd its rclationship to thc

silyer crtin (l ro l2) provided the birsic systellt to be lollclwed. Since

clivisibilitl, inrcl lructions wirs highcst in a duoclecimal systcln. this

ofl-ered tiie p-lost elljcient ancl practical means in accounting ancl

transactions. Tlius a scriul arrangentent with l2 and its fractions or

multiples was establishctl.

,rr fjor I:llrnrie \)slcnt\ ol' rlrclrsurcrrrcnt itt gettcfttl ll. Saurlrirc. .llulttriutt.Y p()ttt'

.rt,r'r'il r) l'lttttrtttt' rlr' ltt ttttttttsttt(t!t(ltt( ,'t rlt' ltt 111i'111tl1t.qir tttlt\ttlt)ttttl('. -l vtlls. [)lrfis. lfifi]-llifiT; uitS t[e c\(rl)li(]tr ol Lrsclitl )uP!!'sti()l]s irr /.1/(, (hcrc is tl() \\\tcllliltic irtie:tiglttttrrr

tft'rn.'orr thc r>rigint itrrd er.llutirirt tll'lsllrttic s-\'stcllls ol'tlleasurctl.tcttt.r* Schilbrre h. ,t1t. r j1 . ll6-ll1.r: R. [:ttingh;.ruscn. ,,r\n [,]nuri\ud l)truncl Wcight r', 'l-ltc J,,utrt,tl ttl Ih,' Il ultt't.s '1rt

Gttllo.t..ll. Ilultrnrtrrc. l').1(). 7.1'76. eitcil bt /l/(;. l. rtotc .1.

t" llinr. ll,r,l

l\l li()t)t ( iloN 'ro c)tt()\tAN Nlt,-l R()r ()(;\ )'-l

It was a s)';ten) rrencralized in largc arelrs b1'thc inrpcrial blrreuucnrts

-- Rotnan, lJyzantinc, Perso-Arabic and Ottonlan, ancl local ntctro-logies tollowed this serial arrangement (see Table IV ancl VI).

O'rtOrt r\ \\ trt(;HTS ANt) r\tEASIiRt:S l.urr

Handbooks lbr uccot-tttting and arithrnetic contlrininu lists 9l' thcrveights and measures uscd in a given period n-lLlst be classilletl :-tntongour sourcc's on metrolog)'. Thc'following ilrc'Ihc. bcst knttw'n Ottoplitr.tbooks of this kind.

Muhyi al-Din Mehnt"'d b. Hacci Atmaca wrote his ,llut'rtui ul- Kut'tl' it/irr 89911 4933t, at the end oi his career. Writic-n by, t ttttltis'ib kitih.scribe specialized in accounting, this work is designed to be a handbookfor beginners (mubtutlt) in the art of accounting. Hai.'ing u thct>reticllbasis in the ear.licr Arabic and Persian handboclks on uccounring andarithmetic, it provides us with the actual Ottomun n'tL-asures in usc i1his tinre in the introcluction and in the exanrplc's hc qives. N{:.ur-r' copicsol- this popular book survivedrs.' Here we rrracic usc ol- thc l\,1S.tsibliotheque Nationale, Paris, Supplement rurc no. 5.13. l5b-j9a.Though three or lour tblios are missing at the beginning. this particularMS appears to be a vcry good one with tables. The same volumecontains (40b-6la) a translation by Y[suf b. 'Abdullah ot' Mil'trth-iKunil:-i Erbub-i Kulent .Llisbah-i Runtuz-i Eshab-i Rukun written byUayr ai-Di'r $alll b. Ibrahim in Persia around ti80,i 147-5.

Handbooks on arithrnetic and measures in Ottoman Turkish closelvIbllow Muhyi al-Drn Mehrned's work. Nasfih Matrakcr's '(Jntrlut ul-Hi.ytib, written in 92J;'1517, rnust be mentioned in particular. Anronglater works on arithrnetic und accountingrq, thc lbllow'ing arc worth!,of mention Mi/tfih u/-Hi.vab by Dervir; b. Hasan written in 988,'l-58d,and Tuh/ut ul-A'did /i'l-fli.rib by 'Ali b. Veli Selaniki+o.

' M. Tahir, Osntutrlr ,\lilt'llilltri.lll, Istanbul, 13,12 l9ll. l5l.to For the copies in TKS. see F. Karatay, Tilrkg't' Ytt:tnulur Lutulo.(u.Il, no. l-5tjl.ro l'lalil's bttok, lir;/ttku-i I.!i.sih: Stiley'rnaniye Library, Hsacl Illcrtdi. no .ll/l'

Mchnted b. Atrrracl: l:srrd I:lcntli. tto. J176, Kopriilii l-ibrarl . Nl . ,'islnr. rcctt,rtt tto .]'ll.Nasfih Matrakcr's'(.trndut ul-I.lisil>, $ehid Alr Library, rto. l9(t7. Nurioslttarlil'c. rto lt)fi'1.

lblio 5l afl'.;tirr books on urithrrictic and ntctrology also scc O. Nuri [-.rgin. lluullirtt('crdrt t'e llu.y,tttr. lstanbul; ll. Slhillioglu, ,<Eski Hesap Kitrrplarrnrn t)cgcri n. B'l'il).VIl. March l96tt.

o'r N'f . Tahir. up. t'it..2El. .105. -ll0; Karatay'. ttp. t'it, -516-19

Rtttl I

fk,:.t,, ll I

.Il iykil 'l 6 I

[)tr'/t,ttttttl-A,li l{)s 9 ]5 I

Kirtit llls ll'l ll 16 I

Ilthb,t (r9l I 576 9() 6"t I I

Page 8: Ottoman Metrology

11t-1 ',{ It,\l ll lN.\l.c'lK

-l-.rltl.t'V

Yf s[ t \ rolt l_l tl ll sr | \l]l l ()l \ll \\t I{l s

t'" lir'tr'

:r Iq:r. rrrrrrlll l tl ll l l:I ,rAi il - l(X) /)r)t': "'| /,it,': - l()l) t,r'ir| ,r,t'ir : l0(t ltrtrtt r

()l (/A( i/

or 1till

l{. lri Nleasurc of \\eight (for linc things): mtkrrl and it\ I'ractions

I tttitAil = (t tltut{ - )1 kirit \\r ('L'kirJ(k t}r'l,/.r17 r)rkirir ctr'

I ttrilkil ,- 1.5 tlirltctrr

| ilirhtnt: ltltur,ga)ldnrg-1ktrd!I k irit : .l Jrr'rl'

i\Ioney: akqa (or dirhem) and its liactirlns

I ukt'tt : l0() pisa: or.liil{r-tI pip,'-- . ltt0 ,r.r'irI ,rri'ir' - l()0 l-trtr,litl

I frunkl - l()0 :(n't'Lt C('t't'()

Ile as,rrc of Lcngth : giri'| ;tr0- - l(X) l)Ltt'tttukI ltitrrtruk = 100 rr,rlr'or iplik3 fttrttt,tA lrrtcl Il.i li,tIr' : I girtlt

A lrandbook on ;.rrithmetic in Greek a-r, nrc'rsl probubly, \\'rittcn by tr

Creck scribe in Ottornan service in Salonica aroLrnd 1500+r. pro\idesinteresting infornlrtion on Ottoman weights irnd nrr'asures ol the period.ln the arithmctic problems givcn as exitnrples in tlie text thc olclByzantincweightss)'stem (l litru: l2 uUkc : J)(.\ogiu: l7l8 kutttiu)is abandoned, and. instead the Ottornan kunttir > lodru (lilrtl systcnris applied as lollorvs+s :

o: l'rtll l)ersian tlittu. ldrtut', grain t>r dArtuk, sntlll grtrirr. riltg ir ir l(,ttrllr put.t ol

it dirlttttr or sixth ltlrrt ol'lln)'thing (Steingass; cf. llirlz. I lt.*r lf. llurrger ltrrcl K \;ogcl. Ein b.t':tuttintstltr'.s llr'tltt'rtlru, lt il'.r /.i .lultrlrt,tttltrt:.

Tctt. ['hr,r;1,!:utts 11111! ]1ltnrtut',1/(/r. Ostcrr. Akad. dcr \\'iss. Phil.-FI ist Kl [)ertksehr. 7S.

llancl l. r\hh.. Wicrr. l()(r.1.*o Sirrcc tllc l/ori rrus rvortlt 5(i rrAf'a and ()llc lrttt'ttl':rlk l(ttt rtAlrt itt llte hook tt

n)ust bc writtcn urorrnd l-i()0. rvhile llungc'r atttl Vogcl.9. tlltte it ttluch elrrlicra' Ihil.. 19. .15. 9+. I I I

\lc:tstrre of l.cngth : 4ir5'| :iri' (trr r'rtilrt:t') : I0() l)ut't)t(tA

| /,(tt tttttl\ " I (t(l ri r/rA

I rltlik . I(X) :prtlcr": tltrerttl

.nt.rllcr urtits trl ---a rr' : I J. I

I J trl' --rr',J I 1,lr.t .'/.

I .ll trl ;rlr7' | .q ir,'h ,git ilt ,

I rtJ.ill ttl lttt :rtlr l5()() (/i-)l/i, ()l

\lcasures ol'\\cight (ftlr heatr

) Attttrir =' )OO htrlrrt

I ltttlrit : I 7(' ,lirht'ttt

goods): IantIr - lodra

tr -l hc Itcrrilttt \\'()r(l /)e('-- ()r /)i)(':(/ Illc.tlls ;.t ttnltll III(rllctltr\I:trtprru. llte etrtl)tlltrtl \\t)ftl lirr it uit\ /)l(irl(//' \\r ttl(ttlqttt

l\ I liot)t ('l ION l-O O-f-fOIl \N \lL I lt()l ()(;\

l'rut-t- VI

N'l r tn i tr -l)Ir i\lt,Hrti u s i \ul L ()l \\ l(,llls \\l) \r \sr tit \{ | -+'1.1 )

.tl-5

\teasttrcs rtf Clprrcill : nttrdd .' k ileI rtrttLltl .. l() Arlt

I ktl.' '-. 50 A,t,/t'li tlt' Ari.rr'

\rrr;'fller rttlits trl'kilt I l ktlc - Lrt'rt,q -' l2 Aul''lt 5(l ltttltltt'

I I Ail,' ,,- I lirrrA '., )i kudt'lr

\le asurc for silk : lid r e

I lilrt .- ll() tlirlt,'trr.\u lttlrr' I r', :rl, rrf Ir _-//lt l r

\leasure of \\ cight (lbr fine things) : nr i1[ a I

I tttilkil 21 Liritl/'it,it. J),r'ir.l.\ du-tlrileil list ol'\lltllller tlllits ol- rttrtAil is gircn)

\lcasureI

I

I

I

of Capacitl : nrudd (plural: anrdld)tttudtl - 20 I'crlst' ( kih:cc )

kr.t'/Sr'- -50 (rlrt'Ari.rr' =- ],00 lluhbt'

1ktvl1,:: l.tririk

ln thc ()ltrllttitn

Page 9: Ottoman Metrology

3lc, ll.\t.ll. t\\t.( tK

I kantiurt'o, : 11 ,kudt'.s' : 176 /itre : 17600 tlruntr.sI ttkutlt.s : 1 litrc : 400 dromis

I litrc : 100 drunti.scompare thischart u'ith thc'Ottornan ollicial list belclrv p 2j5.Ottontanolllcial sources lglr.r- in ss11st'xl lvith the lisrs giyc.n in thcl hanclbooks(sc'c- Tablcs V lntl \/l).

'f rnr r, \ill\\ t tt,til\ \\l) \| \)t l{t\ l\ llil \t \ltKl t lti (;L l \il()\i,t Bt l<s r.

lstrrtrt I \\l) EDit<rt \R()t \l) li(xrr(,

li\ lltOt)ti(-l ION l(-) Of-foi\1.\N \ll,l lt()L(Xi\

Tnsr_r. VIII

Co\t.rt\t,tts.\\It(;ilts.\\t)\l[:.\st ltt:S.\Nt)nt:\tSI()li\\lil(lt Illr:) \t{l I

lN tlil: l{1.(jt\tt:t{s()t c'..tt,F.t, r\Kxt, l{\t .\\ rrD Kil t\ \lt()t \l) i.oo+

'r'i

.lrStrtt > rulf 111

.-trstttt > Attrt,s

Bttltltutt '- ttAAtt

lgu'ril )

Kuttldr > okAtt > tltrltr.rrt

Ki!c >,,Akrt - drrlrtttr.llruhl :, kilt' > Sitri/r

.lli1kell > dahi'ntD i r ltt'ttr

Dt.t t c

IItt:rrrt'BiSin. buq

Ettlctt('dtnlek

o" O l . llrtr-l'lrrt- ,r lJrtzr IJti,riik $clrirlcrtlc t:5,rl I'i-\'atlrrrrprrr 'T-cshrit ye 'l-clii:,i Iltrsu:-llrtnt 'l'rtrtzirlr l:derl Kanuttlrtr,,. 'litrih I t,siAulttrt, It)s. -5, 7, lrrd 9; a cririeul cclititl' tllthcsc ttttportltttt tltleurllcilts ()n tltc blrsi: ()l'rnlul-! c\tiiltt c()pics is ncctletl.

^ Thc'rcgularion (TV..no. v, p 33t{) required ther Ailc (capacity measurefor gririrr. llour irnd sllt), urgutl (linc'ar measure). and tliriat, (6riiic ,nitlbr weights) R'erc' constantl)' to be checkc'd by' thc rnttlrtes,)'h, markerinspector.

t ' Ft)r {'le\c ruJistcr\ scc

Otttltnltns, .-lrAr'itttt I'tttrlttun\'<Thc qucstion of'thc ('1,:irrl trl'tlre lillek Sclr Lrntlcr (hcl(r, Athcns. 1979. 9l-91

Nlrus urc Ctrods Nleusurcd

tcrtilus. lurslunrber. h:rir-clttth saeks

{rr)cg1'1g5. ntcut. liuits dricd r)r licsh(in rc'tail)groccnes, pcpper. iron, llux. rVortl. ctrttorr

( rvlrrrle srrlc or in rutailisu ltgr:.rirr. l)our (Ailr,, rrlso spelled kr1.l1,t,)

prL'cltrus rle-tals

llnc tpiccs. druusirnpL'lncltrs lnd rhc like . f elt

Jllr pcr

cl()\er : I higitt = 20 buy,. I hut : I ttkAulitr:: I ltt'tlt.n - l:ttil

)()uurt . | ;iitttltk : 2 ttkku

Terrn or i\leusurc Cit)0tl: tttCltsttrerl ()r l'crCl l C(l t()

.-lrlrtl (nLrtrtbct trl . . )

.lrSurt. sc'e _:iriJ'Bunluk (it cu1r, rt ntelrsurc)

Bnril, sce t'or il (r barrcl)Batrnutt('ar.t'* (onc fourth. l mcusurc)(-eki(.r/i (u pair).(-it (a basket, ii ntelsurc)(in'cl (a sack)

Danc (u singlc picce ol)Dtnk (a bundlc)Destc (u packct )

Di:i (u string ol)DtiS, sec turu/Fug't (iqt\ (a casklGurdr (a large sack)

Kah:u (handlc ol)Kuntir

Kut (a complete se t t-ll')

Kuruti/Ar,t'.t'c, scc lrA'it'r'r,Ktt'u (n piccc ol)

Kt.t'lcc (k ilt)

Kirhu (a leathcr sae k )

Lilri'

Itidcs, blrlcs. cr'r:lnties. lrlt't't's ol'llrbl it'. krr jte s

Irr)uscrs. lunrbcr'. nti.tt\, et(.

dyes, soap.' eott()lt rarn. riee . /rrtlr.rtraw silkmeat

shoes

dried tiurtsu'alnuts. hazclnuts. ulunt. ricc. sttlrl-l

llrs, cups

ropcs. lL'lt

knives, hantlkcrchicl'. rtirdlcs. ltuts.ligs

wine, honcy. lenrorr .;uice. rincgarcottonswords, knircs, borv

tirr, copper. rurils. dvcs, he nnu. srrsi-lr. l)tt.\.tn.nt(t(dricd rt.tclrl ). driccl liuits. lrorrcr . cl,rrrllctlbutter. flar. soltJ-1. cotl()lt

hanke rchicl. ltieccs o1'll.rbrrics. cr)lrr: ;111{ ,,t",.-coats (/(i/(J/il4). prcecs ttl' lclttltcr. etlrtl.carpet, lurblrrt

u'i nc, caviur. (/rrlAi. itlunl

plck covcrirrg. picecs ol r clve t an(l r.n()ltirtr(,vi/) lrrlel c()tlr)ll !otrds 1/'oq'r^r). ei.|l'l'rr'1.

lcatlter, quilt. shirt. drcsscs. bor. hrrrrcl kcr-

chiel. girdle. a bridlc. a saddle

rr'heat, nrillct. llour. rree. rrulnuts. the elrickpeir

rmplerncnts

rlrrv silk

Page 10: Ottoman Metrology

:lI t'rr

/irrrrl (rt :rdcTli r7-0!, (tt * lttrlc

t)l)

plecc ()r u buncllc ol')

llorrr.l[ttlrr I u irre

.lIi:tirti' (ttt,'::11tttl'.'. bctrrccn Attruril I licltrids

ancl i rrrril) +' I

.llul j urlin. ricc, flour,\'ilgi I tin. :ilk. ii llrrurPuri'. lttirt't tA (tr pice e r)r u Jr.nlill piccs

oliPu,s I tt t'

Pu.:t (tt si rtgie skirt oll.\unduk (u btrr ol).\upo. .strJtr

Scpt,tl (\q)(t) (a baskct ol',y

Sclh (trlrjl)J (t gunlcnt ()l')

$ilu|/ (a llrge bori'l ol)Tulttrit (u sirtgl.' piccc ol)

l1N t.r ltrld trr rr pic'cc' ol)

liquids (wine. oily. pcppcr. urensils ol'ccrppcr,

tcrrt. piecc' rtl' uOttle n elctth ((lAa) ()r cottol)cloth 1Airbr7.r). lcurhcr. srccl. lc'lt, rock-salt

rrotrlen eloth (1'lArr). cr-\sti.rl cu[)s

I ur:s()lr p. 5 t-tglr rsult. clarilicd butrcrrai:ins, ligs

elrltltn:. rntrhlrir or lur etrtrt

e hccse. ptstil (l'ruit paslc)

lursilk cltlth. turbtn. ntohuir lirr onc- clrsss.

labric lbr onc bcd (rl)icA.iili). tishlish

blrlc ol'c()tl()n e loth. rrrohair or hcrrrpbalc'ol'hcnnu. hlshish. lcirthcr. silk ckrrn

(tilu, tdltu), l'urs, clrr'sse s

cltccsc, bLrttcr, honey, pckrttc:

clteesc. honsy. r,inc.gur. nails, knivcs. urukipeppcr. {rairr. llour. sugitr. hcrrna lirr reraill,

all kinds ol-spiccs, corton yarnlll kinds ol'clolhssltrlcs

lfulutit (u skrrt corttlrincrlIirlr'. -sce rrr).q,i

l'urilI'ukit'.t't ( I r lA'r t') r' - l(10 dirht'tttl

/iri'Zi lrl<' lpuirs ol)

_lts lt\1il_l\\l(lN

Finally. the litllou'it'tg ttote fionr an ci.rrly sixtccnth centLlry collccriolof Ottotnatt rcgulittiotts4" can bc considcrcd as an oflicial list ol'Ottomitn weights in this pe-ricld and corroboraLes continuecl use ol-kuntir anLl l)utttt(/l sVStcnts. It reircls :

l-he lirllou'irrc is recortlcrl lls prircticctl unrons pc()plcI /.tttttir =., l7(r00 tlirln,ttt : -1.1 Arr.r't,I ltxltu - 176 iirln,trt

+3 | thittk tltlrt tltir i: . I rrt kislt lirlk ctrnrol()!r)' tll'thc ltlrliu' nrei1surc nt(,::(ptLt.+'' hirt[ttr,thrr... l'KS[,. lte rlrn t1(). lg.l(). J.lll

t\ I li()l)t ('l l()\ I'o ()l

I ltttttttttrt -, 7l()() tlirltr'ttt. in Lcrrnsit is lli ytrkiy.vt

I litlra : 100 lirltr'ttrI r'uA'i.t'.t't' : -l(X) dirlrottl;lihton (gold irirc) ol' lstlnbul is

lo\1..\\ \il ilt()t()(;\ -ll9

ttl litlrt it rr 7l li,lr,.'. ut tcr.llrs trl' r'll, r lr ,

l0 tttit kdl ttntl | 5 dirltcttt. I t is ri orrh95 uksu.

kldbton ol'Bursa is l0llrtAcil and lA dirlntn and it is u'orth 91 uksu.

Howcver. tlte l;utttil h:.tcl a'dil]'erc'nt weight in Bursl us is rllustnrtctlin tlre [fursa court rccorcls. In Ruhi'I, 891,r\{arch l-lfi(r l s}iiprnent rrl'8 kutttir of steel ancl l3 l,,utucir of tin \\'ils senI to Bursu 5'). These rreiqlrtswere given ((in ternls ol'the kantdr of IstanbLrl>>. <<When tl-iey w'crcweighc'd in Bursa \\,ith the kuuu,' ol' Bursa)). thc ckrcunrcnt rclrtls.((the steel was lbuncl to be 4 r,uki.yt'e (okktt)and thc tin l2 rttl;i.t't't'short>. Thus, the l;urtttil'ol'Bursa must be about 43.5 okku u,hile thutol'Istirnk ul was 44 rtl;liu at that time.

S'I"{NDARDIZA-TIO\

Ottoman conservartism regarding nieasurL-s is in cornplctc conlbrntit)'with the gradual Ottonran process of integration ol' lln ltrL-it into theinrpcrial administration. It was a policy of thc Ottonrans to kecp the prc-conquest laws and custolns to which the incligcltoLls populatioll \\'Lts

lortg accustomed'ir. Their abolition, it was thorrght, \\'oLllcl t:lltitildillicutties :lnd cliscontt'nt. As will be seen. clirngc' ollen was sintpl)the replacernent ol' the pre-conquest terminology with tlte Ottornunone. This pt'occss usr.lully took quite a long periocl ol'tirtrc, and in sonlccases it was never conrpleted. As to the spcciitl groLlps which \\'crenlaintained in their original status with pre-conquest reeulationslocal Christian nriners or military groups such as the Eflaks, lbr e.ramplc-: the process of charrge was much slower. Thus, we flnd the Serbian orBosnian systems ol-meusurement. withr or without original tcrrninology.included in the Ottonurn rcgulations of the lil'tc-cnth ccnl.Llr')' conccntingsuch cornmunities.

However, tlrxutir-rn in the timar system require(l u kincl ol'stiutclitrclizir-tion in prices ancl consccluently in nreasurcs. Sirrcc in thc Ottottturtregistcrs all iirrrur rcvenucs were to be conrputc(l in tentls r)l-thc Otttttttltttukg'u lbr cach tinrar ulrit thc price ol-caclt agricultunrl product. gri.tir) inparticular, was to bc- ljxed by the sovernmcnt. Iri doing this thc csntntlgovernment had to Llse a standard measure wliich was the L;turrltttl

5" Ilursu $er'i11e Sieilierr. Ilurx Archlctrlrrgical Nlusculn. l1t) ..\ 5 5..lfirr Steci rrrrtltirt *crc ttl hc :hippctl ',,r l.lrre ntlc to lirurrcl clull'lr)ns.

" Scc nty' ., Sule rrrr.rrt tlrc l-lrrgivcr ltrtrl L)tttlntlrrt [,lrri ,,. lt,lttytutt Ott()nlturi( unt.l. lt)('9. ll6-.1(r. itltttt. ,,()tt,rrrrr.rrr Nlcthods ol' (-()nuuc\t,'. .\'ttttlr,t ltlttrtrit,t. ll. 19i1.

l0.r- l 19

Page 11: Ottoman Metrology

ti0 il,\l lt tN,\l ( lK

kila.yi t-tr ttl,l;u. Orrce thc pricc w'as firccl. price fluctuuticlrts ut the nrarketwL're no lr)ngcr takett ittto accoLlnI s:. Itr gettcrttl tlrxrttion lrncl lrclnrin-istrutivc crigcncies lccl thc Oltomun govr'nuncnt to introcJuce relorntsfbr stlrnclarclizutiort itt ccrtltin arcits. Urtrlcr Ottclrtrart aclrninistrirtion,the suttcul, is tukcn as u basic itdntinistrative unit lrncl lax rates weredeterrrrirrecl lbr cach .s'rur<zrli in a speciul regulatic-rn (kdrmttrtutrtt') con-cerrrirrg thut plirticul:.tr .tttncttA. Thus. irr u quitc lurgc urcu ri'ithin thebourrcl:.rrics ol'tt.suttt'uk. unilbrrnity in the u'eig.hts and rneasures w'r.rs

to be realizccl trnclcr tl'te .vutcttk kilttttttrttlrtta,s'i. In most casL's, however,tlrc stlrncllrtliz.lrtiorr r.lithirr thc.\rlrcrtA'w;.ts carriccl out bt'ertencling a

typiell locll nlclrsurc to thc u'ltolc .stuttul, rtttrl its ccltrivirlcnt wi.rs clelrrlydellnecl in tcnr'rs ttl- tltc ollicial Ottotnatt stitnclurds. Such relbrmsattenrptc'ri in [lurtuitr;' lurcl Bosnia cluring the sixtccnth centLrr] aredocuttrcnLccl.

lrr IlLurglrr)'. t kilt' tl;u.rl). tltc nrcusure ol- cup:.rcity lbr grain, varicclwidelv fl'om one i.rrr'a Lo r.ttrotlter lts cvideflcc'd in lrn impe'rilrl decreeclutcd Jrrl\, 1. 1,5795i. Thc slunL. clccrec'stutecl thltt thc population ol-thc c()t.tnll'\' trskctl lilr ;.r trnilirrrtr n.lclsrlre.'fhcrcuprln, the Sultlrrrtrrclercrl tlurt ll'ortt thut tintc ol.l. r.r /tilc ri,lts to bc 30 ol,l,u throughoutthe prrtlvincc. r.rrrcl thc locul c:.rtlis rverc orclcrctl to cnlbrcc it. Thcfollo*'ing is :.r tnutsllrtiort ol'this orclcr ''* lsee Appenclir II).

Or.lcr lo lhc lleilerbetiol'lluclirr:.trttl lrl Behrhnr, tl:lc tful'tr'r-t'tttirtiss ol'thesiune pf()\irtcc ti'itlt Ithc' spccill ltssigtuncrtt] ol'rnlrkirrg thc population andtir\ survcv ol'tlrc slrir.l prtlvirtcc: sirtcc Yrlu subrnittcd ttl rrrl l)tlrtc Lttpether

uith a list ol'prtlblenrs to bc alts*'ered thut tlie Aa.r'/ [to rnL'usLrrc tithesin gruin] is E-{ r'rrA/r'l'('it' in some ol-thc kultlrAs5' uncl ()6. 71, 100, 90.

rrr'.15 ilt sortic trlhc-rs irt thc prorincc. urtcl thlrt tltc po1'lullrtion in lrll tll'thenr uanls irnilirrttiitf irr thcir kurl. I or,-lcr thlt the Arr.r'i bc J0 r'rrArr lclirr .rll o!' tltcrn Nt)r\ this is nr\' ()r-(lcr tltut t ou sltoultl [crlrnl-rutc thetitlrcs] ;.rrtrl cntcr tltcrtt itt tltc ltc* sur\e\ book rtccorclinglr.lncl thlt thist'rrrlcr uiil bc rleclurcti irt it ntost elllcicnt rr;.r\ irt eaeh kr:l,ltltk s() thut

-il ..\ettrr'.lir)-{ ttr llte ittstrLt.'li,)ns l() llt.'sttrtc\()r'\. tlte etrrrertt prie'.'lirr ctrclr prrrtlttctis lirctl lr: ltrllrrrts: lltc \ellr' \\ils tlirirlctl ittttl (ltrcc lrcrrtrrls. tlte tirrte ol' ltlrrrc:I r)l'

delircrl . the rrriddle lrnd the llttter pltlt. 'l hc'sLtrrerr)r hilrl to Irrirrt rritlr liirn tlrc rloe unrcrrt

certil_rir)rr \\l)lrtcvcr pnee rrlrs l'irccl br the ltlcul clrdi lirr cuclt pcriotl. und thc uelltri.rlgovcn)nrcl)t tlrcd tlrc stlrnrllrrtl pricc.-lhu: thc priucs uc llrrd irr thc registcrs lrre busedort tlrc eurrclrl prires ()l cuclt Arlrlrl ltrcrt. llorvcvcr. irt lhc tultrit'registcr\.,.lrlrurr up its arulL' onc lrlr circh .\'dtt(dk. tht' pricc tlred lirr cuclt kind tlf'gruin rvas oltcn upplicd lrl thervhtrle .\dnr(t/.. lrt trthcr uords. it ults llte ccrttntl *tr\cnllltclll or. acl.ulrll_i. .\'i,rrlrrr'r ultrrlirr'd ltr.-rrtge pliee s lrrr elte l) .\rilrri/4 .

5r B.'\. ll[ihintttrt'. no. -l(). {7.s+ l.ot'thc lircsirrrilc sct lrppcrltlir ll.t* 'llre I)t'llt'r'-t'trtitri rrl'llLrdill is the reetctltrr itt ehltrgc t'l lhe lrlllrrr: e()l)cerl)llls tllt

titrtir: rtt thc [rr()\titcc ttl lJuclirr.55 I rrArltt, hcre is the Ottotnl'i ,t,l ;\ t(' irtAktt ' ol'-1(){) tlrrlttttt tlr l.lfilt kr:i" Il,ttlrlrA is tltc urel ultrler tltc Jltnidt!ti()lt ol it Arlli (cutli).

IN I'tt()t)tr('t'toN I o 0l"IOl\t \\ i\ll: I li,ol o(i\

previous nlcasurcs shall bc totally discarclccl ancl ncu'oltc'S t)l'-l() r'rr(r'r'r't,nrade, attcl lionr Ilow on thc nreitsurgnrent lrnrl tri.lllsi.rcli()ns sh;.rll bccarried on bv thc nc'w A.a.l'/ and the local cadis shall cnter in their olllcirrlcourt books a cop) ol- my imperial order so that thc ne*'lr uppoinrecl cuclistoo shall act accordingly. This order is given to Sinan, onc- ol'the (l('ft(r('Lrvrl;es ol.tsudin [to be taken to Budin] onJ Cunuldul ol' 987 I July 1579.

However, unifitrrnitv was not established throughout Hunu:.r11, usG. Kaldy-Nagy58 could identily the following ku.t'ls in rhe iarriousparts of it :

I kile >fI kilr d'I kile ofI kilc ot

Ottoman standardization attempts in Bosnia lrnd Hercegovinu lreparticularly interesting for demonstrating not only thc Ottorni.ul motivl-tion lor reform but also the lact that grain measLlres rvere dircctlyrelatcd to the prc-Ottonlan units of grain tux. Appurclttl-\, the Ottolltlnadministratiott began to show. itn increusing coltcenl lbr the g111measure in thc region in connection with thJ gorenu'ncnt llxccJ ir1i,rprices and their- rr'pr'rcussions on the timar incornes. For cxariiple.tlre t-rxed price ot'l5 uk('u per kila was confusing it'the kilr, u,as i3 okkuitt one areil and 61 okku in artother. Thc' ciiscrcpuncy ntight huvc'lc'rlto serious disputcs between the timar-holclers uncl thc pcasaltts. Inthe early reguli.ttions there was no specification ol- the c..ruct" iultountof the measure usecl; how'c'ver, in the regulation of 1530 and subsectLrcptregulations, each local measure was carefirlly dcljnecl in tcrms c'i' thcOttoman standard u'eight, the okku. (see Table IX). Thc' Kinrlrtttitrrr,r>l'1565 opens with the tbllowing provision -se

:

When it *us repc)rtcd to thc'Porte that in thc old rcgistcr thc Ailt,rius61 vuki.t'.r'r @kkui in the city ol'Saray (Sarqc'r'o) *'hilc in the Aulis o|Vr;egrad, Brod and Kobay the weight ot'the krcal Ailr,und thc llredprice per kilc' u'as dillerent, the Sultan ordered that kilrs ancl prices slrtrulclb', iclentical in all tltese kaqlis, and price s would bc incrcuscd 2 rA 1 rr

{pcr Ailr'] lirr rrltcrrt rrnd lcntil lnd I rrA('tr lirr rriltl rrhctr( iul(l ();rts,',,. lnctlnpliancc'uitlt thc order, kilr'w'as llxcd ut sirt5 r'rrAr't'r'r,unrl recorrlcdas such in thc nc\\'sur!'r'y book, and wheat lncl lentil *'crc pricccl lrt lluk;u per ftilr'and *'ild wheat at 13 ukgu per Ailt,. ()ats i.rt 7 uksu pcr Ailt,.

tn ll anr indebtctl to Artrlras Riedlnra;,er lor kindlt trrrnslatins lirr utc (jlulir Krrltlr-Nagy, <, Mitgyltrorszirgi tordk adocisszeirasok > (l-urkish -l ax-Rcgistcrs ilr ll ulgrrr,i ).new seric's nrr. 5l of CrI.'4.',-r; tck u tc)rlint'lrtri Iudttnuirr.t'ttk kirtthil. ccl. bt J. \'lrrgu. lrrsriturclilr Historicul Rcserrch ol'tltc Hunglriun Acadcntr ol'Scrcnecs (Budupc:r AklrtlclrrlrKiado), 1971. l7-18;:ce [-. Fekcte, <<Tiirk Vergi Tahrrrlc-ri,,. Rtllt,rt.tt. \1. l9.l?..1i-]

'u Kutrtt, i K'..',ut-nLrttii'. l. cd. B. Durdcr ct a1.. Slrnr.jr.'\t). ()ricntuini InstitLrt rr S.rr.r-

_;cr u, 19.i7. , r 7lbo ,lluhlut irtrultlut, i: a kirtd of u'hcat with thick skin like l-rirrlcr lsce I)t'rlt,rttt

Sd:lii{il. 1X,,{ttkanr :'l-urk Dil Kurumu. 1971, p. -1105) ttr tiiltl out:.

)-1 I

Mohaq : I Hungarrun.fertil : 21 ttkl,u : 30.7(r kuPcgrry : -12 okku : .11.02.1 kgEgri (1693) - 41.02a kgbarle;' irt Buda (1665) : 18 okku : 1J.76 kg.

Page 12: Ottoman Metrology

lt.\t.il tN \l('tK

-ft--

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Ic

:

t=

,:

Xi1,1

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'-

INIROI)t ( lloN To OT1()ll.\N \tE'll{ol-o(i\ 1-t-l

wlrile must is pricecl ul 7 ukE'u per tttedra itt itccorduncc ti'itlt the olcl

register.On the 6thcr hund. the kile in use in thc ku(d ol- l'ctti-l'u:ut' uus ottl-\

11 okku and rihc'at was priced at 15 ukg'u pcr kilt'. riilc'l *ltcat ut l0 a/.1a

per kilc, oat itt 5 uksu per kile ancl must tt 7 ul;su pcr ttu'tlrc. Sincc thcprices fat t kilt ol- +:l ol;ku) cannot be llrther incrcitseci ther ucre leli ltthcse prices rlithout clt;.tttsc as touncl.in the tllcl registcr.

It sho,rld be noted that tlre Ottoman aclministration clid not introcluccits standavJ kile of 20 ol;kct in Bosnia. the so-callecl i.stutthtrlA'ilr'.ri. buttook the local mcasurc as a basis lor staticlitrclizi.rtion lilr thc rcgiorrbccause a drastic charrge in the actual weight ol' lhc nreasLlrc miglithave caused confusion in tht: collection of tirnar revenues and clispirtcsbetwecn the peasants and timar-holders. Ottorlan stanclardizutirln irrBosnia and Hungary revL'als the real nature of- thc Ottcln'urn retbrntin weights and'measures ivhich aimed at uniforrnity onli,' in a purliculurregion, or .yuncuk, under particular conditions. In some areiis evcnthe nreasure in use in each l;rultlrk was officially recognized irs tl.]e onlyr-rnit in which to 1 ay tithes in kindt".

ln fJosnil, ohriousll' stlrndardizlttiotr was lrttcnrptccl to lrvoicl over-taxing certirin ureas ultcrt tltc sarne llxed pricc' (rturlt) u'lis r.rppliecl ina region where gnrin tlr\ \\,i.rs not cleliverecl in tithes. Il'thc t:.rr w;.rs

to be paicl in kilc or.r'irA. the areas r.l'ith largcr nlei.rslrrcs rvoulcl sul'lcr'.ll-it was to be paicl in cush, tltc areas witl'r snraller nrcltsurc's rvoulcl sulll'r.Both rnethods were practiced in the Ottoman cmpirc. although thcOttoman regime triecl to extend its original systenr of tithes in kintlcveryrvhere. Whut is to bc noted hcre is thut the llxccl price systel'nwas closely interrelated rvith the measuring. Fi.xing grain priccs rvasthe basis of the Ottoman llnances as it made it possible to compLrte thcrevenues and their ciistribution among the timar-holclers each w'ith itllxed tirnar inconre- dcterrnined in ntortetary units. Suppose the grliinprices we-re'lo\\'er in onc area compared to another bcclrrrsc rlf irgood harvest or soil l-ertility, or distance fiom the rnarket tlie tithcsdelivered in kind would mean il lower incomc (Sipdhls hacl to sclltheir tithe's at the rn;.rrkct). but in such a case tltr'v t-tsuallr tricd ttrnrake the peasants pu)' irt cash in ternrs ol- a trxecl price. Thcn lirr rhisparticular region, a lurgcr rneasure was the solution liorri the llnancirrlstanclpoint.

A similar situation *'ith clivergencic's irr mu'asurc und in pricc clur hclbuncl in Bulgariu as lirtc r,rs 1579 as demottstrutecl in thc lirlloriinutlble.

"r J-ltc Rcgulrttiott ol' Silistre drrted 1 569 rclds : " J-ltc

tinlrr-htrldcrl b-r thcrr orirr lltrerrll kilt,, lScc rltc tert irr () tpclr\liltt\ rhirll rle lir cr ( trl tlte. 1l;.rrkrrn. Ktttttttrlttr. lN l-10).

=l'-

Page 13: Ottoman Metrology

i-l-l II\|l l\.\t,( lK

l.rtrr t .X

l.l:l "l ()t \ \lit()t s A// /\ l\ t SI .\\l) (,1<.\l\ t,l<t('l S

l\ ltll \ r\( tA ot Nlr;l ll()l t rNlt ol,Ol lsr l\ llit \ I \lt \r\r- lir!)

Fronr thc'abovc tubulation it is clcar that in Danubian Bulgariagrain prices $'L'rc niuch low'c'r. and the units ol'gruin measuring nruchlarger corxpitred to lzlacli (u mountainous arca), itncl Yanbcllu (ne.arlarge urban ccnters). The ciiscrc-pancies rvhich hacl bcen maintainedfor such u long timc cart pcrhaps be cxplainecl by thc ubcivc rnentionsclreasons. such as permitting thc' .rpr7ll.s of cheap grain areas to havclarger ilntounts ol'urititt pcr unit. Thus it is reasonable to sLlggcst thatstandardizatiott \\'as not alwuys secn as an ideal policy by the Ottontarradministration. The actual price ditl-erential occuring as a result ol'shortage or transporti-rtior.r costs \\'as met not by irrcreasing the pricebut by, rcdr-rcing thc' unit ol- measure. It was important lor the adnrin-istration to dcllnc clearly in thc regulations the actual size ol' therncasurc lor eitch ltrelt itt order to kccp timar-holcJcrs'cash revenuen'torc or lcss stuble sittce grain tithes \\'erL- surrcnderecl in kind. Thus.a sipuhi in the area ol-'firrtovu and Zigtol'i shoulcl rcceive w'heat titheliom a fr i/r of-eigh1t okAu irl orcie r to obtain elevcn ukg'u w'hen convertcdinto cash, while the same umount ol'cash was obtained in the $unrnuand Eski-Cunr'a areu liom t kila ol'60 okku.

This sittuttiott cutt explain rvhy thc Ottclman government was cautiousin pushing a strict standardizatior) policy lbr evcr), re-gion. Dc.liningthe actual sizc ol'the kilc t-t-tr grtrin in a rc-gion tvls used trt prcvcntprtssiblc clisptrtes ltttcl. ultir.tlately. tcl quarltlltee the ltrrrar-holclcrs'urtercsts ln cusc tltc pclrsants u'c-rulcl clainr to clelivcr tithes in thc snrallcrunit ol'nrc;.r\urc ol'lr neighbourins lirea.

n: .\'tt,r'1,,,1t,,,:/trir,lr'l li'ri.

I\ I l{()l)t ('IION l-O OI'lONt..\N Nll: I R()l ()(i\ 1.1.5

In general decreasing the contents indicated b;' a particular nlci,rsurewas the usual meitns ol'adjustment to the changing nrarkct condirionswhen under a govL'rnnrent-enforced rnaximal pricc ceiling there wasno other way of- adjustment left fbr the producc-r. Merchants anclgovernment had recourse to the same rnethod in export trade . Apparentll,alfected by such a policy. Venice made Hmr, ruler ol'Al'drn gLraranteein the treaty ol l34iJ not to change the weights und rncasllres irr lrt--r

trade with the principalityut. Examples ciln be lbuncl durins rhcOttoman period ol'the gov-ernment agents' decreasing thc measui'es inorder to increase tilxes which were cornputed per unit o1- nrc'asurclllent.The traders tried to do the oppositc to pay less on thc' cLlstorns (secAppendix III). This practice was responsible.lbr the diminishing ovcrtime of weights ancJ measures in general. Ho$'ever, in the- cupital citiIstanbul a policy of strict standardization and control was pursuect.

Assaying and the periodical inspection ol'w,eights ancl nreasLtres \\,r.1s

considered one ot' the rnost important duties ot' the sovL'rnme-nt sincethe opinion of the populace was that shortages, high prices and l-aniinewere ofl:r,associated rv'ith the lailure of the autliorities to check lrarud andabuses cornmitted by merchants ahd traders. In the capital city it wasconsicJered one of thc mosl. important functions of' thcl grand vizir Lr>

personally inspect u,eights and measures in Un-Kapanr *'here Istanbr-rl'sprovisions arril'ed and the main bazaars were located u*. All the office rsresponsible for the city's provisioning and security accompanied hirnin his tour. He punished on the spot those traders rvho haci firilc-d tocornply with the standards and pricesos. Enforcemcnt ol'a llxeci priccpcr unit as recordcd in tlie nurfi or ihti:;ab regulatior)s \\i:]s thc objcctivcol'such inspc:ction tours. In otherwords, in the capital city of the enrpirethe grand v'zir tc,ok care to perform the duty of cadi ancl trtulltcsrh.(market inspector) hinrscll', and he tried to shorv peoplr-- thut hc u'asconcerned personally with this matter of'vital importance for the cit_t,.<<One of the important points on which people's welfbre depcndcclwas the enforcement of the regulation of fixed prices and thus thc'maintenance of goocl orclcr in the aftlirs of people in trade >>t"'.

In Istanbul tw'o rlll'icials, kiltt'i (irssayer) ancl tunt,qut't (stanrper).undc'r lhe ntul.rtt'.r'ib u'cre- constantly in chargc'ol'tc'stins und certillingall kinds ol'measures in use at the market. Using stundard nrcusLlrcskept in the public treasury the kilet'idid the job ol'assaying ('u.r'dr) an,J

then the tungu(r certiliecl the correctness and validity by irrprintinuthe olficial starnp (tttiri turngu) on nleasures. Their olllcc w'as at thc

"r E. Zachariudrru's lrrticl,.'. .\upru, note 25.t'a Kurrtdr baluttce: rrt tltc cusl()lns hclusc. consitlerccl tlrc rrrtl:t rclilrble. rrere u.scri

bt tlrc of'liciitls to e ltee k nrcirsrrres lirr hcavv goocls : scc () Nrrri (l:rgin). .llctrll,'. l.()"10.

"t ,,Osntiurlr Klnhnnlrnclcri ,,. ,Villi Tctr'hhilur .llrttrtLitrtr. I l. l.lll l9lj. i()l-.r().i

"" lrnpe rill tlrdcr cllrtetl .lu'hin lll5'Jlrnulrl' llitll rtprotltrcctl irt ()snrirn Nrrli( I:rgirr),,11 tL cllt. l7.l-7-l

k il, I l)

pnccs t t.t rl/, 1 ,1 ad.jusrcci

price litr'

rr hcut ol' l0okAu lirr uA( u)

s herrt [-rlrrlcr .ttt(tltlil

Nigcbttlu- Rulroru rrrrd Pilcr nc

l',raca attcl Srrlrlt'l'irtt<ti lr. Ziytt,r t rrrtrl I lrrltrlelt'l-irrr,rrir (cert.ritt Aa/rlrA sl

Hcza rgrlrtl

)urrrnrr lrrrrl I.:ki-('Lrrrr'lt

izladiYan btilu

l(x)

l0()

lJ0

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(r()

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t-l 9 6

ll 9 (t

li {r -5

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Il.1.7

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I .67

Page 14: Ottoman Metrology

I lh ll\lli 1\\lilK

(-arcluk t('urrrlk) picr rrhcre ull kirrds ttl-prrort.:iotts itt'rtr.'d b,r ssa lorIstart brrl's provisitltlittg "

1-lte l..trtrrctrs. thc nlrkers o1' sri-ritt nrr-i.rsLlrcs. had to bring to thektl* i .rittJ /rllilirt i in ('.trdlrk lirr atljLr:u.).rc-nl and certilication uttderrCgulutirtn tltc /. i/r's tltet tttlttlc ['rcltlrc thc'; solcl tlte ttt.

A list rtl' r,urious kinds ol- nreasurcs ( t'r:n() tnaclc by' kulut'us ofIstanbLrl lrrc listc'd ri'ith their cxtrct capacity in the trurlt rcgtLllttiort ol-l(r40"8. Ip tor.vns lrncl snlrll citics thc lirrrctitttts tll'kilt'ci ttr-ttl tunr,qttc't

\\,L.rc pcrlitrrttcd tr) thc rttulllt'.rilr u'hcl cl-rlrrged it sn-rall l'ec lbr thissclr'icc (l rrAE'rr lirr l;ilc lt C'allir. in 9-19 l-542. bLrt.l ul;;u fbr starnpingurlul). Thc ntrtl.ttt:lb w;,rs to pcrioclicull)'toLlr thc rrtarket placc's in theto\\'r'l und check thc u'cights ancl nreiisures in Ltsc. Il'he lound out anyclcliiulr hc il,oulcl tuke tlie oll'cndcr to tlie carli's court and penalize hirnlccor{irru lo ths court t'lccision by intposing lincs or sutr-iecting hinlto u bcuting ilt public clr imprisor.nncnt. Ol'l'enccs comtrtittecl otl tleccs-

sities \\,crL' considcrccl crirtrinltl ltncl scvere lv pttttishecl("'.It is kt)()\\'lt that tlic Ottornln govenunent kept stullrlltrcls t() llssay

ucights unri lncilsLlrcs in circullttion. Iror e.rltl'ttple. a rtlpe scitled ltttrvo cpcls lbr nteusurins llelds in ddtiitrr l!'as kcpt in thc treasurydc.partntci,t at thc Sultun's palace-t'. Unrlcr Selirn lll a standal'd urSutt(tti';rtt) nrrrrlc ol'ehon_r lnd dil'idccl into ytmruA uncl /-1tttt was pttt in thcncrr lv cstublishcd scltor-ll ol' c'tlgittccrirlg irt lstltttbttl rr

.

i\ rcrolutiorrirrl plun liir thc sturtclltrdizutit.xt ol' lrll wcights attcl

lpc;.lsul'cs lirr thc *'hole cntpirc \\'lts propctseci litlltlw'ing lttt cct>ttc'rtttic

crisis urouncl l6-10. Wlien. in l6;10. a rclontr u'us etntrirrkcd rtpotl tohalt the inllation in silvcr dL1'tt and to set correct prices lt thc ttttrkct.tlrc- govcntntcnt w'rrs lclv'isecl <<to stltnclltrcliz,e kilc. urglttt. t'tlA'l-t't't' ancl

tlirhutr in all the provinces ol'tlic enrpirc accorcling to the startciards

ol'Istirnbul>>':. It w'trs obscrvccl that the travcllirtg ntcrchltnts dcspairedbeclus,-. c.Lrch provincc had its on,n systcnt o1' weights attcl mei.lsures

so tircv n,cre'chcatccl. <,Just its tlre Sultan's [sy'rlbols ol-authority,]fiuthu lncl .lrAA.r, (Friclal' sermon and coinage) ure the sanre- everywhcrein his L'nlpire>>. tlic lrdviscr acldccl. <<so kili'. urgutt, t'uki.t')'a and all theptficr lncilsufcs shoulcl bc thc surlrc r.ts in Istlurbul>r. Thc proptlsal,liorvcvcr. ltad rttt ellccts.

('' 'l lie !t)\ err)lllcltt \r it\ !()lrccn)cd i.lh()ut e ttlirrcittg stillt(iilr(l\, cspecrltll-i u hctt

ltlrtlcr: rrrtr.le lrirtrrls rn the $cigltts lrttrl tttc-lrsttt'cs itt trrtlcr [() rc(luee the rlttc:0l'lltclir\cs t() hc prrid:lirr ltrt crltnlple sce O. Nuri (Ergilrl. lltil .

"s l:r',il l)t'll,'t't. lliesirlrilc tcrt. l'l-1.,"' See () )'1 rtri. t)lt ttt.. J. ('.-j 7--{.i. rrl:tr tlte reuttllrliottr <tl' tltti.tri/, rll'lstlrrtl'rtrl. lltrrslr

rintl lrtltrttr'Itrl'rltsltt'tl l.r i) | ll.rrkrrlr. / I tto:. \. \'ll. l\" Se.' nl\ .,ltrr'c ( ultr\ilti{)ll lln(l tlrt' q,'/liiAr i-li, rtrrJ Srrtcrrr ln tlle ()ttr)llllrn

Errtpirc,,. /rtttii,t. \l\. ll.l-r .l;1'lt qtlnttri..'.1 irt.rrtbrtl Sul;rt itllrrt:i. Irtlttttrrtl l()5J-' S,t,ilttt ll, t,iltJtt l-rtttitlrtrtitt tr tn('uili t'l-.llti'ttritritr. cr.l. \'lr;rtt' \'ticcl. .\ttkttrlt : [)tl

rc I rrr.rlt ('()rrrtl\lr liltktiltest. l9S(). ll

l\ I l{()l)t ( | ION l'O () I lONl.,\\ \lt: I I{()l ()(;\ I t7

A dortri,iant conlnrcrcial center irnposes o\cr ttntc its vr,,eights arrclmeasures rn a sponttuteous way in a quitc large areil. For cxurnplc.Tabriz, tit.: n-tost impclrtant.int.ernational ccnter <>l'Asiurr-liLrroJruarrtrade during thc pcrit.rcl 1260-1360 acLually' irrrposccl rls rrrcir\urcrrlcrllsysten-ls on Alti.rtolia. particularly casterrt Att:.ttolia. I'esolottr rcntlr ksthat Trcbizond (-frabzon) r,l,hich was onc ol'the grei.rt cr)tpr)t.iunrs ol'the Tabriz trade had the same weights and measures as Tabri2. OttornanIstanbul play'cd a sirnilur role for the rcgions which rnuintainc.d 1pintcttsive tralllc w'ith it. lstanbul's standarcls canlc into use in a pror incemostly for the goods subjc.c't to such a tratl'rc - ' in Cairo, lbr c.rup-rplc,:ird'Lo ntcasurc woollcn cloth was the siune i.rs thlrt ol'lstunbui inlcrrgth (Hinz, 56). Kila ol'Istanbul to measure gnrin becanrc u stitnclarclin several areas nrainly because of'their regular grain e.xports to Istanbul.

Also it was truc that malrket dues imposed on weight or pL-r pic'ccwcre rcsponsible lbr scltnc sort ol-standardization. It was not oplt, thcnature ol'the gclocls transported, or the mu'ans of- tnrnsportatiori butalso the goverltntent tuxation per unit that cleterrnined thc starrcllr<iizecltypes ol'contairters (st-'c Tuble VIII). While hdt'. u tr:.rnsit cJuc. or n'ri:rkctdue was taken per unit - bundle, bale. packloaci etc customsdues were taken acl vitlorem and therefore goods wcre u,eighecl 1t t5cpublic scales. In orcJer to prevent disputes the rcgulations of tolls 1pdtnarket dues (ArTrtltrt-r hit' r,c tamga) ofien dc'flnecl thc rveieht upcllllsilsure ol- thc blrle ttsecl. For ccrtain -uoorls it \\'i.rs nranclatory rtrbe weighed at the public scales called Lilntit' t>t' tttl:dtt. Thcrc \\'crctwo kin.ls -cf l;urttir, big and srnall (bti.r'tik l;utttir uncl A-rig'rlk l;uttttir\.wherears, tbr prccior-rs goods such as silk, a brlance w,ith gr.catcrprecisiorr called rrti:titt wus used. It is nlso tr-r bc rertrentbercc'l thltOttomans tried to simplily commercial ta.ratiorr in the coltqucrecjlands, lbr examplc. in Eastcrn Asia Minor during the periocl l-516- 15-10.They distinguished between horse and camel packs as llr irs trirpsrtclues were conccrned and reduced the ratc ol'customs dues liont llv'cper cent to two per cetlt.

l_.r\\:; '-.r. st.\\t) \RDlz_A'l'lo\ lVI llt. \l\l. ll,t..\ ill ( t..\ lt R\

Serious attetttpts at stitndardization and unilrcation ol'rvcights antlmei-tsures throughout thc- empire were nradc onll' when wcstcrnizipr:relbrms werc introduced in the Tun:imat period (lti39-lfi7(r) -r.

- t lr()r tlte lcgisl:rtr()rt ilttr'()(lucing thc rttetric s)\tellt rt.e 1)rrrlrll.. rol \'. TJJ. .iirrrtts 1,tttl (sttlrlrlctttcrrtl. rol ll. 10.1. (;. \ trur)r.t. ('1ty1t: ,l, l)ttttt ()ttrtttttrtr. rirl l\.Orlirrcl 1905. -l(16-67 \'orrrrrr ulso publishcd 1367-76t tlblc: ol'the trltl rieir:hls ;rrrtlltlci.t)tlrc\ rrttlt tltctr rttetrie eqtrivlrlcnts nlrich arc'blscrl ()r) tlrc irrlirrlt.trl()1 (lrlr\\tr ()1tttt IJullctiu tlt' ltt ('lrr.urtltrt' lc ('tttntrtt'r'ct' Frurtgttti.Lr'. \',:rne r and [)lrrnbrnlrrrn. /,,,rltttit.ttttttt'.t ,,t!rutt.gt'rr't ,/tuts lt' I.t'\Ltnl, antl tlte dlttlr :trpplictl br tlrc ()t!,ttttrttt [)trltlt, [)r,ltl.-ltltttitti:!rrttirrri. ..\lsrr \('f ()\n)ilt) Nuri ([:ruirr). .lltr'r'llt.ll. lst.rnlrLrl.

Page 15: Ottoman Metrology

lSti ll.\l ll_ I\,\l( lK

Witlr l spcciul llu' tltc Ottorttirn g()\'et'l'rnrent nl.rdc thc rrsc ol' thcmctric s)'stenr nrartdalorv in all olllcial transactions fl'orn March l,1871. arttl lirr all subjects throughout the empire liorn Mtrrch l,1814.It rnirclc r'.\ceptions lclr the curtonical dirhurr used in the transactionsadministcrccl unclcr Islurtric Law us rvell us in coinagc anci jewellery.SuhseclLrcntly. scvcntl lltttclbooks \\'ere llublishcrl lilr thc applicationol'tlre neu svstcnr. Galitr lley's I'ctri ,rlik.r'd.t'lunr di'ir Ri.;ilt'(Trcatiscon the Nov Wcights ancl Measures), lstartbr.rl' 1287iltJTl, wzts rc-prrblislrecl in ll99 artd I33I. Uncler a kururndrrc (decrc'e) issued orr29 $'cvtdl 129u,24 Scptenibcr ltiu l, lists of'conversions o1'the olcl weightsnncl nre:.rsurcs irtto thcir rnctr-ic ec;ttivalents w,cre publishecl?a.

Thesc luu's r.rttcl rcgulittiorts rentairtccl r"rninrplcmented. arrd in Scp-ternber ltiti I . l nc\\'clccree hucl to bc issucd to nlrke thc use rll'thc nre tricsystL'r'rl rtr.rnclutor'_i' in the cntpire . Aglin a clccree issued in 1886 w,hichnracJe the usc ol- the nrctric systcnl clbligatory in Istanbul afier llve),ears. h:.rcl rro n)orc succr'ss cluc- to tlte resistlutce ol'the people whrchapparr'ntl\'\\'irs suppol'tcd in religiclus circlcs. In lirct thc rcligiouscoclc rrf-lu*,(,1'lrccllc), coclillc-cl since I869. tirllori'ecl Islirmic nrctrologf irr

gettc'r:.tl (kuyl I'or tttukiltlt. t't':rt I'or trrtn':hrtt7t,'utlt't/ I'or'utluli)'.t'it, ttntl;irrt' l'ot' ttttt:t't1" it)-; .

Irt corurcctiort w'ith thc qttcstir)rr ol- w'ltetlter itn-\' chlrngu' c-rccrrredirr the w'cight tll'thc ,sur:i dirltt'rr, Cevclet Pa;;r"r. chlrirnran ol.the coln-mission lirr prcprrnrtion of'the trlctcllc, sent a lc-ttcr Lo tlit-' Egyptiangovct'nnrcrlt ln l\llrf ltj7l, irrquiring ltbout tltc ltncicnt rnoclcl ntuldrrltcle ol' eo1'r1'rcr itt l:s1pt '". I tc rcrttinrlcrl thcnr thut in 57 | I 175.Al-Rilr.r'rr rirotc tlutl he sltu it tttttticl irr the Dir ul-Lli.s'bu in C:.rirclrcpr)rtc'rll) lrrrscrl tln .\rJ' (FIinz. 5l) trsctl in tlic l)rophct's tilrre. rrcishing337 lirltttrr rll-1'rurc \\'i.tlL'r'. fit'ortt Cltiro Mltluttr-lucl BcY rcpol'tccl (throughTal'rrt Prrlr.r) tlurt his clilculution show'c'cl that the u'eight ol- lirltt'trt.based on thr'ntellsLlrc rr'portcd by al-Rifir'a, had not changecl und itIrlu,a)'s n'us J.089lr g-t. At an1'nrtc. the Otti-rnlrn lln,sunlnltrizc'd irt

-t f i )9 .)L'r'r17/ \('/i(' /-)9,\ r't' li I I t') liil .tort l)97 Ittrlltrlt ,st'rt,f -nttrtr,'ttllrk htt) rulLrtt

irid.'-i'\(,///|l(,.iPi,lt;tl/tilrukktndu kttrttrttirtrL'tlir'. sectrrtd eclition. lstanbul : 'l'ophune-i 'Arnirc l'rrntirtg f.ltrusc,

Ctttrti,ltt I 9. ll99-5 .1/.'.,'//,. .rlticlcs lll-ll7 (.lcllnrtion:). urticlc: ll7-199. clcirls rrith lhc rrlitlit-r .rl'thc':ltle c()ntr.rcts iihcrt tlrc lcgltl rteights ltrrtl nrclrsrlrcs \\crc nr)t uscd: lirr ucights itntlntcirsures tne rttiottcrl nt .llt'ct'llt'. rtlso scc lltc chlrl'ricr ott thc dir ision tll' inhcritlrncc :

articlcr lll{-Ilt)1. lltr\lc\cr irt tltc crplrrn.rtiort:!. \\eights lntl nrcirsurcs irr current usc

such tts lt.tt))r(til r.tttrl oAAir ltre ltlst-r llterlli()ltfrl. ltt tltc sirtccrttlt ccntur\ ltr)()thcr grcitt

Ottrrtttlttt legi:t ..\brr ''-.Stt.uri :lltcl))pte(J l() rr'\i\c iu)(l cr)li)tec olrl lslrrrnic stlrlrrirrrrls lrs

pltrl trl hir -uirrelrl irtLcntJ)t to ltillr .rppl-r tltc ;rl'i prirreiple: irt thc Ott()nlilr) lrdrrrini:tru-ti()tt (sca ttlr. ,,Strlcirtt.ttl tltc L.twgitcl' ltlttl Ott()lllilll l-il\\,,. .1 ttlrirtttrt OIIontuut(ut,t. l.p Illt Ilt'.rl:,r trrcri (rr e rpllrin. ott tltc atrtltori tr ttl'rra'i srrtrrecs. the dilli'rcrrec frctrreclthc;rrl' !'urrcl)tl\ u:crl in nrclrsurittg tertiles ltiti tlt.rt used irt :urlucc nrcasurinu.

' \lrtltt.ttorrrl llcr. ,,[-c Sr:tcl.ttc Ilte tritl uc ire ltlcl rl'l:grpte ,,. Juttntttl .1 tiLttitlttt'. ri'rie 7.

l. lX-?.l. l(r-X{.1-- C,rtllnltrc Ill(i l-1. rrhtr lrlllrntccl thlt thc \tundlrr(l canonieul dirlttttt rvus -l.ll-5

IN I'R()t)t C'ilON fO O-t't OI\lAN tvtI: I t{()l.o(;\ .ri9

this article (Table XI) which introduced the metric sy'stt.nr cr.yl bctaken as a point of'departure lbr Ottornan olllcial nretrologv in gepcrll.In addition, tables published by G. young basecr on-ihir-ofil.irtregulation, as well as the information in the Bullt,tin de lu Chunthrt,de Contmercc Frc:tr,'ai,st'(nos. 77-80, 1893), and some other soLlrces.are useful in that they provide further details on old Ottomun wcisStsand measures ol'various parts of the empire (Table XII).

As was true for lhc cltrlier attempts to rcforrn thc u,cighls upclmeasures in the Ottoman empire, the new law irrtroducing tlic nr..triesystem remained a deaci letter except in official ciealings atxl in thc bigport cities of Istanbul, Salonica, Izmir and Beirut. Under a law J'the.Republic of rurke; dated March 26, 1931, thc mcrric systc-nr wasto be applied throughout Turkey beginning ih 19347t'. Brit again ittook some years belbre the people used the new measLrres. Evcritocl:.rvone can flnd many old weights and measures still used in rentote aniisolated parts of Turkey.

TnsLL- XI

Wt,tr,tils..\Nl) \ll,\\t til.\ IN illlr OltONt,.rx lil:(it | .\il()\ ()l Itvs 1y,51 r'r

f\'leasurc of l-ength: ar$unurSutt <-tt'rltirs()ll ()r ilrLi)ituct : 24 purnukpttrtttuA : l) llqlllqt : 12 ttttk!,t

rrr';lrt rrl'1rrr,r'rr (blr^tlrr) or rndd:c : tl ruh'.rrr'rrl rrr lur.;uh-i kudirtt : 7-500 urSun ol- rntsoll

l\Ieasure of !,\eight: oNf,aokku ctr trr rt, - 100 dirht'nr

dirlttrtt : l6 krrLit

kuttdr : 11 okAu

C'L'ki : 1 Aunrirhuttttun : 6 okku

?8 No. lTltl and l0li.l in" Scc lbovc note 7.1

thc oljicial cocle ol- llws ol''furker

Nleasure nf Capacitl : kileI kilt, ol'Istanbul = -l ,rirriAlsinik=2Auru

l\leasure of Surr.rce; diiniinrI di)niint : lOOt) squitrc ursurt ol rnitson

Page 16: Ottoman Metrology

Kittttir,1ft,rr (snrall)

,l/crr (speciiil)rl'lt,ir (lre avy)

,ll ur.tt iTkil

,rl ilkil,\l ilkilIti uk rrOkkttOlArr (old)

2;t'rrt'6 okku12.5 okkul). okka19 okku1.5 ri'. or l-1

.t+ I

l)re cl () u s

oil

7li r,/r/.r,, I()() i,11,

rrlte r tlte u)tt\'rlu\'-Lron rll'tlrc rrrclric

;rll kinrl. ol' rrrcrclrrrrr

tli:C c\udnt .tlk lt tt.l

c()cllcr)clt I

llcltr \ gtrtl.ls

()rrlillrtr\:Iotlrl'speeilrl uot,.l:r.trttids liortt Iiurrrpegtlrrris l'roni (i lJritain

Bughdltl

l-Lrrki:lr

I'ersilr n

Sy ria

l\l r\()p()tl nt lil

Jcdda

lN I ltol)L'('l ION I-O ()l l()N{.\N Nll: I ltol ()(i\,j -t( ) ll,\l ll. lN.\l ('lK

l,r;uirulcnts ol'tlte old measures in the mctric syslom

I ttrStut ol'nrirson : 0.7-5ti rlI urytrtt ol'grl ,ru : ().6fi0 nr

I cttrld:L : 0.6-50 rn

| /ttr.ttt/t : -5bfi-5 nt

I rtAl'u - I .ifil9-l-r kg

I tlirlttttr - I lt)716-l g

I Ailr'ol'lstirnbul - -17 eubic dccirucrcrs

I Attttrir -., -50 -l-i9(r kg

I 1','Ar , ll5 79li kg

I l,(ttttt(ilt - 7 tr,)767 kgI squtrrc rl',rlrr tll-ntilsor.l : ().-i7-1-56-t sq. ntr-ter

I sclultrc rrr,rrrir rrl'( {//',\'1l : 0.-161-l sq. lltctcrI :rlLrrrre t'uiltrrt' 0 -llli srl. n.tctcr

| ,/iitttlittt ') I ()..j srl. rrictcr

I rtrt t' \ll

\\'r t,,ut\ tst \irl l\llltl trt (j. \'()t \(i (irlti'r l)l t)titttl Ottrtrt ttl\ ()\l ()lil) l')rli r(i-- i()-

()A A rl ( rtc* )

()AArr (rtcw

0AArr thcav'y )

OAArr (lirruclulcnt\

0AA,r (Egypt)OliIu 1 l't'rtt,rltk

kuttrir t

0kit't' (()un(t'l0Ait't'0kiyr0 ki.rt

| 't'i l lt'

l'c:ttt'| 't': ttr'

I ti nt,

Quur Irt

Quintrrl tkutttirl

QuirrtulQuintllQuintalQuintrrlIlutl trrttttl)llurl/ilul 1 [:ey ptian ]'fugdr

Tirr3ir ( hca r .r )

'l u.qir('rk i

J l l'lirS-r'rirr

Nl lghrch

51 rirr

Bltghtllrll\'ltrsstrl

N Icstrpotlt ur ilt

Slr lott ir'lr

izrnir

\'J (r

lt,r g

ll3 g

.ll g

.ll.t)li kg

100.066 kg

l2.ll:t-t kg-ll 6t)5 kgr)6_t g

.i I ..1(18-

j6 -{()() ku

l0l.bl 6 kg

1-10.t)ll kg

l(.x).066 ku

50 0ll kg

l.-i6-l-3.2U5 kg

l.lfi.j kg

160 ir

l2fi-l kg

1000 kg

156 kg

ll-5 7e() ks

k irit

2 kitrttir.100 rir.

6 okiyt

2.5 okku

J80 rir'.

100 r/r.

75 dr.

66.5 lr.l0 dr.

l-5 o(lrt or

rut I78 okkul0 o,AArr

32.5 ttkku

-1,-l rrAArr

-10-{-l rrAArr

80 rr(lrrIttO olArr78 okku.19 oA A ri

2-2.5 okku

I okku

l13 dr.

1000 oAA'rr

1560 okku

200 okku

lJ6 oAku

0.00{)-l I g

7.69.1 kg

16.0.j(r kg

I .5. lfilt kg

l-1.-196 kr.l.l{ll g

llgllg0 ()(XXrl5 s

L2fi1 kg

l.2l'(l()-15 r:

\\'cirrht I)l.recI:c1Lrirulcrrt

Lrsccl lirr)L rl rttetrre

IJu ! tu.ttt

Bu!trtdtt

Billtn(utIJu !trtutt

8().{([l.l (scc (/(]/r.{)

(.,t1,

D<tttg

I)irltr'ttt

I irilll ilun

KttrldrKurrlu rKant ur

Kuut ur

KatrirKuuilrKuru

KttrulLtl

Iluntl' or A'irrit

.'\:i;.t \l trttrr

..\tlu tta

frl ossul

LIrll ( llLrha)

Vlrn

ls tlr n bLrl

\lrrghrcb (lllrblrl..\nlrtolilr

S; ril u ncl \l ashrc

\1urdin.Alcpptr

Ilu:ru[--rzrrrurn

,kku 7 (r91 kg

,kAu -l fi-lfi k'r,AA,t fi() r/i'. tt.l-16 kg

,AArr -ll0 r/r. l.-it)9 ku

(r

{1

I

.l(r-J5 oA Arr

(r-l r/crr.q tlrk irir

) nukir

11 ttk ktt

lli{) rrAAtr

)()tl ukku)10 okku150 oAAcr

)(l()0 okkuI r,AArr l0()

1 tltttt,g

-l{, 57 kg

{) {)5 g

-l l()7.161-5 s

0.001 t-i g

1.5 g

56.-l-le kg

_s l ..160 kg

130 t)J2 kg

l-ll.-1(J() k_s

-j07.tte6 kg

32Ct.72-5 kg

256-5.9()t) kg

I 603 kg

0.2t)0.1 g

intli-utr lrrcl spices

indigtr

gftrll)

liq uicls

rvotld attd churcual

lirr caral'an plckloa(ls

dii te s rcc Arlrrlrlr

Page 17: Ottoman Metrology

195 okku' 2-50 kg

l(10 okku I28.l8 k-rr

I .15- l-10 ol Aa I 73- I 79 kg

llJ0 rrAA.c 23t) ti96 kg

25tt lr. plus .5 763 g

pcr ccnt-1.-s6.1 kg

l0l) tlr. .l:rt g

\\ ()od (()llicial )

!\ oo(1

\\ ()od

\\ ()0d

opiu rn

nrohairgrlld und siiver

1tl-){ il,\1,il_ l\,,\t_( tK

li\ I R()l)Li('1-lON TO o-l'l()Nl.\N \ll llt()l ()(;\ I tl1+-'l

APPENDI.\ I

It seems i.htt in the origins of nreasuring slstr'nls the fblk measuresbased on grain, foot. cubit or finger were givcn precision iln(l ccrtainarithmetic division arrangements by state bureaucnrcies. Il.ornan unclmedieval measuring systems including the Ottonralts' ci"ul bc tracc-rlback to those of' Mcsopotamian civilizations in their basic lbaturcs I.

Decimal, duodecinrul s-vstems and ihc use of l particulur nlclrsurc lbr' ;.r

particular comntoclity and even tlrrl nantes of' sortie nreasurcs cillt bctraced back to this origin.

< Neo-Assyrian weights)), J. N. Postgate sal s r. <. Ittight hrc cithcr'heavy' (tlannu) or 'light' (qallu), the one beirtg tw'ice titc othcr. -fhe

absolute value of these weights is best attcrtecl by a seric's of inscribcclbronze lion weights discovered at Nimrud by A. Il. Luvarcl. und nrnuirrgfiom 5 (heavy) tttitrus to 2 (heavy) shekt'ls>,r. As an c'ramplc' \\'e carltake the seties o|ntinu (mana).

1,/r)rrl lJea r'-i Il inu Light S/ttkt/ Heirr r .\/rr'Ar'l l-rghl Kg

l-lclr vy 2 ()o ll0 l(tl

Light .r0 (r{l 0 )(l

In the later AssS'riln system rneitsures ol'lcngth tollou'ctl tltc scric: ol'| -24 - l;+4 - 2t{8. und w'eights lolcl system) lhut ol'l - 60 - ](rUO. Withthe Hr.tites. I - 6 - 24 - 12 series are to be tbund in thc' mr-asLlrc ()l'capacity (puri.stt.;utu. [u:i/, and upnul+. It is t-rhsen'ccl tltat dcspitc thcgreat variety ot' units the systern of metrology is basicully' thc sarnc.-fhe nu-ttu or ttut-tir,-r, hacl two rttajor varietics . llrc rtuut{/ 'ol tlrc king'ancl thc nu)na 'olCurchemish's. The ttrunu 'o1'thc rttcrcltrrtt',<ctlrrltl rclc'rrnerely to a set ol'wcights used in the tritnsucl.ion in qucsticltt>. -flte nrtitrol' 60 .sltckr,l.s lo I nutttu is constant. | .s'ltt'l;tl cclLutls lli0 gririns butonly liactions til' .s'ltcl;clwere used. Thc largcr w,cight unit n'us tlrc talcrrt

('ck i(rk i('ck i('tk i('aki

.{r i lrirkSulotticrt

NIitvlcncrrnd iznrir

lzrn ir

Irrrkel

'fhe n*v s)'stcm caused conlusicln in the bazaaluvhen, lbr instance,unclcr tlic luw, introclucing the nretric systcnr. the nerr.' g'rki lvas trxcd att-our kutrttTr of ,50 kg each or 200 kg which was 12.5 kg less than the oldg'rti. 1-hc rncrchants ol- llrewood began to Llse thc new i'cAi withoutacljusting thc pricc uccorc'lillgly. Thereupolt the sctl'ernrlreltt rulecl that1't,Ai u,trs to bc 2-50 kg in the luturc. It w'as reporte('l by the French inIstanbrrl (Bullt'titt tla lu Clturnhrc dc ('onttnt'rt'c fiuttq'ui.s(i, lto. 180, I\{arch1902) that is rvls irnl'rossible to determinc the exitct weight o1'g'cki usedby thc ntc'rchuttts ctl' Istunbul.

'fhc lbllowiltg shttw's the continuation ol-tlie- olcl tneasurcs (Bt'zuntinc-Italiirn'l) ilr u ntthcr isollrtcd pl'ovittce.

l- rrrr r, Xlll

WI tr;ttts ttr lit,il(r s l\ ilil, lNro.

,( j. \', rt \(, /r,,,j r

' C.1". .e hnllrin. ,r [)lrs lrltblbyltlniscltc Nlaitss- tttttldcr antikcn Gc$ichts-. Nliinz- uncl N'tlltss)'stelncr. .l(()rit'tttuli.;tt'.\ l(nu t'tt l,\,\'9 Li Stttcklrttltrr t't tt ('ltri.s!itnttt.

I 691. l('5-l-{9 : e l. Se hilbuch. l.r J. N. f)ostgrlc. l:iltr .\t'rt-.l.r.t.t'riutt Lt'g,tl l)t,t ttt)t( ttl\. \\':tlttiittslct' (l:rrsl;rrr.i) . .\lrr

and Phrllips Ltd., (r-1. I rrnr inclcbtcd ttr I\1r:. J.;\. Serrl,re L' kirtrl rte': 1ir1 1111 Ie l('r'cll!'r'\ l()

thc ancicttt rr'orld.r ll,tl.' L;. F. (lcl l\l()r)te . ,, \lctr',rlogirr l.littitrr I

.ltttit1rr.t. l9 (l9li0). ll()5 I)tt:ltllltc. rtlt t !l.. (r5-tr(r.

(itrr ielrt::r :luttt ;.rl: ( irrrrtrlllrucIt'.s tltr ,\'' ( rr7iq,2 1)1 lrttcrttl. tlr':l' ;llrrtic. rectiott I ll Ieiticrr.

[:qurr lrlcnt

rllrl ) 1l

hl ,t s.s,'

( dl'| ()u L\r) 1 l)rcr e zlt )

tlt't L ttr ik tttlttt tt

litr,t()t t.q /r it)t I ( ()uncf )

Irt.git'

I li6l rrA A rr

| -5() r/i .

.1. -r rrAArr

.1.5 oAArr

I -l rrliArr

ll dt.l() rrAArr

50 tlr (r0 riAAc

{..190 kg

127 g

5

t-i kg

t| rltltl

ru rr hlr irolivc oil

\\ Inc

Page 18: Ottoman Metrology

l\ | lt()l)tr( l'lON l() OI l Oi\|.'\N i\l1: I l{()t o(,\

APPf:NDIX llt

$e-\s?.

'/b)ri ri,aiJ: /r+r ,.Ji,_'"!:r;t i q,r/,i:, ;,,{)

t /;:;,, Jrar jlJiad r:t /) .!;;rr; -lt rl,i i,Jrj slt) ,r,,

t , t l .t

?tY r; i c. Lt) rr zrlt: li *.r ;, ; iF*, rt;/.4'/vt' q i/.$I 1t qtl) dp,: gv, ,tr//Q '! !-U- ,,YiV u 4r q'L u t1.al ti aI|1.-, d; U

rlttJ,tt

i:: ;P * o! lt -: d,Jt*W! wt o A)rlJ, t r'.t! .''J- d-/ 6.f;1 rr4)

" J o t\. ,VrI; {r;A,:1rrflur-)!t uut ae: iV /-ir€(qai,, a ,t;.-J r

-t+5344 ll,{t_lt_ tN.\L('tK

(bi-lttt or br.r.rrr) w,hich was 60 lteut'r' tnunu or 120 light tttuttu. Thus,the syste nt was as lilllou's :('

I herrrl (itlent : 60 It. ttttttttt ,.' tl0 l. tttttttrt : .1600 lt. .shckcl - 1200 l. sfukal : 60.6 kg

I light rirlcrrt : -10 h. rrrartrr - 601. rtttuut: lfi00 h..slttktl : -16(X) l..slrckrl - 30.3 kg

Tlre s1'stcnt is birsctl orr rriultiplicutir.ttt ol'30 trttrtttnvith 2-4-60-120-240.

lp clry clpacitl' thc decimul systenr wlls lbllorvecl. Lirtcar lncasures

were-based on 'lingcr', 'palnl' arlcl 'cubit'. It can be suggested thatthe Mesopotantialt basic wcight tntiL ttrtttttr (pound)continued in Greco-Ronrarr ntinu (see Schilbuch, p. 279) a,nd Iranian-lslarnic niitrrt (see IMG,pp. l6-23). We have in lritn two kinds of niinn as in Mesopotamia,nttitttt-i ,v7ll (roylrl niinn) and snrall tniitrtr.

< Sorne times>>, Postgate poillts oLlt 7, << the normal SyStemS of measure-

ment by volume (or weight) gave place to a unit more suited to theparticuiar- corntrioclity. Most such units were containers ol- variouskinds ancl rrot strictly nteasLrres at allr>. For ittstance, tnuqurrutu meanta 'roll' or 'bale' (1or straw), cbi.r.rtr. 'bunclle' (fbr reeds) or pittu (fortrrritrrrs. scstrnrc). ntidtlttttt llirr u'ittc). I lotttt't' t)r cntdt'rt, itttt;t'tr. thc.clonkey'(-loacl)n wrrs usecl as a mcrisurt; (Arabic llinttlr nrcans donkcy).

AI)I'I]NI)IX II

" ()ur':lfliulgell)elll is [t:.r.e,l trn l)tr:tglltc':. (rJ- lltitl . (:\-(,')

' lhtl . (r7. I:rrf \lc:ogro111111rart rieiuhts ltrrd rrrcirsurcs alstl sec F. 'l'hurcltu-I)an-urn,

,, L'L'. lc Q.'\ ct lc \{ina. lcur rnesurr' ct lcur nrppr)rt,r. Jourtul .l.tiutiqut', l0' scric.

L\ll. l!)()i t')-lll: O Neugct'rlttter'. I'lrt Lrrrr'l Jt'it,l(('\ i/r ..1/i/i(/ui1.r. Nf\\ \ ork:Br.ititl I rrrrcr:itl l)te:s. l9-il: .J ]litlttr) itl 'l LLltrtttlrtqt. eti' t [. Singc'r,'l rrl.. Orlirrd.195-1. --l-i-l

Page 19: Ottoman Metrology

346 il \t-il IN.,\t.( lK lN I ltol)l.j(' I ION -l'O O'l'l Ol\lAN 1\llr I lt()l ()(;\ j-r7

ABBREVIATIONS

Al-'Umari, Masalik '. Al- L'nruri's Bericht iiber Anutolien in stittutr l'l/t:rk ,llusilikul-Absar Ji ,UIunulik ul-Atrtsdr, ed. Franz Tasschner, Leipzig. 1929.

B A : BagvekAlet Arqiv Gencl Mtidiirliigii, Istanbul.Barkan, Kanunlar: 6rncr L0tli Barkan. .YI' r'(' .\'l'ltttt't ,1:trlurtltt O.r'rttuttlr

imparutorlugwulu Zirui Ekontntinin Hukuki vc .lIuli I:.v.rlurr, I. Kanunl;.rr.Istanbul : Trirkiyat Enstittisri, 1943.

Belgeler: Belgaler, Tilrk 'furih Belgelari Dergisi, Ankara: Ttirk Tarih Kuruntu.t964 -- .

Berindei-Vein:rtein : Mihnca Berindei and Cilles Vcinstcin, ,,Rt-lglenrcnts clc

Stileymar I" concernant le Liva de Kele>>, Cultit'r.s du .llotulc rrt.\.\'(' (,1

sovidtiqut, XV- I (anvier-mars 197 5).

B T T D: Belgelt'rk Tiirk Turihi Dergisi.lstanbul.D T C F Dergisi : Dil ve 'furih CogruJt'a I'ukilltesi Dt'rsi:i. Ankara.Derleme Sozlugti Tiirki.t'e'fu Hulk Ai:tndun DerlurtL'S'r,,:/r(,ii, Ankaru: -fiirk

Dil Kurunru, 1963-1979.

Es'ar Delieri: 1610 Turiltli Es'dr DeJtcri, tacsimilc' cclition b1 Yagar Yiiccl.Ankara: Dil ve Tarili Couralya Fikriltesi Public:.rtions. no. 3ll, l9fi2.

G. Young:George Young, Corps de Droit ottotnun.6 vols.. Oxlbrcl. 190-5,1t)06.

ffayraf-Din Halil :Hity'rll-Din l-{alil, Fu:luku-i Hi.sdlt.lVlS. Siilel'rnuni;'e Libnrry.Istanbul, Esad Et'encli no 3172; Bibliotheque Nutitrtutlc. Plris. Suppl!.nlcntturc, no. 5.11, ,10b-6lu (,llilrill).

Hcers, Piccanriglio:Jacqucs Hecrs, Le livrc clt cttntlttr'.s lt Giot'ttrtrti Picutttticlit,.lnnntcs d'u//hire:' gtttttti.s'. 1156-1459 Paris : S.E.V.P.E.N.. 1959.

Hinz: Wirlther Hinz. l.slurti.s'cltt rtIusst' und Gcx'it'ltt( unt.q('r(,chttct itr.s tttrtri.tcln,S'l'.vlr'rr. Leiden: E.J. llrill, 1955.

I M G:Hinz.I F M : istanbul Lirtit'arsitt,.si ikti:;at Fakilltesi Ilcctrruusi,lstanbul. 1939

ismet Kayaoglu: isntct Kaf aoglu, <Rahatoglu ve Vakliyesi,,, I'tk4/lur Dcrgiti.XIII, Ankara: Vakrllar Ge'nel Miidtirl.ngri, 1981, l-19.

lVlehnred MevkDflti:ft'rir ul-.llc,t'kit-/iti,2 vols. eds. lVI. Kanril and M. Karnil.Istanbr.rl, l--120 H.

Muhyi al-Drn Mchrred: N'luhyr al-Din N{chnrc'd b. I-lucci Atmaca. .llt'tntttul- xur i'zd MS, SLilcynranil'e Ktittiphancsi, IstanbLrl, Esacl no. -1176. Iliblie-thequc' Nationalc, Plris. Supplernc-nt turc, no. ,5-l-1. l-5b-.it)1.

Mukirtabirt-i Rayiclr : Fitdl'ulluh Ra;;id al-Din, tllukurubit-i llu,lidi. cd. M. Shlli',Lahorc, l9:15.

O. Nuri (Ergin), Mecelle : Osrnan Nuri, ,l/c<'tllt'-i LittuTr-i Balttli.y.r'e. L' 'l'tl'ril_t-i

Teskilat-i Belcdiy.r'a. I, Istanbul, 1922.Ottoman Regulation ol'll99rl88l : Yeni 6lsiilt,rirt'liut:irrt t,t'Tttt.sikilc Suvtr-i

It'raiy.t'asi Hukkindu Kurdrtanrcdir, second edition. lstunbul : T'ophllne-i'Amire Matba'asr ll99 I 881 .

Pyle, <Anutoliun Ring W'cigltts>: Nancy S. Pyle. <<Anuttlliun Ring \\'cigltrs,,.Journul o1' Tu-.t' ish Studie.s. II (C'ambridge 1978). 91 -ltJ6.

Pyle, <<Ottom.Ln ()kka Weights>: Nancy S. Pyle, <<Ottonran Okka Wcights,,,Bcllttot 6 (Ankanr: l-urkish Historicll Societl'. Junuur\' 1977). ll-5-ll.l.

,f--.::l -'l -* ;'iilt ;7t'i 4ix3 4ll

J-Ld di 4:ts> S-py. -,U; |.; ?-f s 16 t-f -- I

c;,orJ J-L-r*j; (5- )y- *g )* t4-1, l! r[-: -, ) ot! 2

)r-r f -jsl ),r)yJ$ttst :-fb ,$*;-$iyl );,.t,Ji6 jLIt/ ,41 r)l osl )-h 3

s);:J Jsl ,S)-P -tJ):, f lt)l ,*Je S:s)-r iUJl J\.d*l otS)ye> I

-riv 4-r.jl

L,r,L G); 4stp )t-f ojl+llJ-l g,)l ;,CJl +€V s &-:6 5

:t)-y'-P --|) ;:):" -/..i'-r-! il-t*s lt-ljrrt iYJl

)-v- o,t;)l .;iu 6

J)s +L--'Uri

r)\ i)t -lst 7

-l:t :lt4s y. o-uJllyl (]" -:6 Jjri ot:.tt iUit, !+l

i-tll -*k -\:r f<,--d1l ^r) ^;*- S)-F 4st.s: )-y.r. tt

gU; 6r -b-'la

lLc +; ))p _," :J;[l iL-;") JJI S tf : 9

\\'rittcrr b-\ Huslur SOn t)l'ldns. cldi :.rt thc court ol'Nori-l'hc rr';.rson lirr thc uriting ol'this clocurlrcnt is thitt prcviously. iiltcrt

salt uls inrpeirtecl liorn the lbrtress ol'Dubrovnrk to the lirrtrcsses ol'Novaand Rilcsln. the establishccl ancl confirrncd rule was that cach Vcnetiartnut:ur w'hich eclualled one huttcJrecl itnd t\\'enty Vcnetian lilret. rvas to bu'

solci lbr thirtccrr aA1a. But. rvlrcrr thc knezcs ol'Dubrovnik applicd thcrtut:ur rihich is irt usc in I)irbrovnik fiirr thc selling ol'thcir salt hcre]iurd sold cleh llr--rrr lbr elc'r'cn uk('u. lt clisputc ltitcl ltriscrt [bcnvcen thc'

knczes and thc Ottonlrns]. At the prcsent tinrc- the albrr'mentioneci knc'zcst'rl'Drrbrovnik ugreed lnd untlcrtcrok tltat tltc rrtu:ur lin sclling salt] is tr-r

be, in accorc'lrtrtce with the prel'ious regLrlatictn (kutlitrtr kurntn ii:trc\.rhe rntcur ol'one hundred t\\'enty Venetialr lidrr. ;:.td taclt ttru:ur is to be

ri,eishc'd bt kuuur and sold lbr thirtecn uk<'u. Thcrcttn,rrt this docurt-tcttt

is drau'n up ancl clelilered into the hands ol'thc r ol' Dubrovnik strprool u'hcn rtec'ded.

T'his took place lncl rvas writtcn on the lirst clal'ol'thc. sercrcd nr()r.lth

o!' Rurrudfut itt thc lear ol- t9ti.I I Vcnctirrtr lihhnt .gt'()\'re : -l-i7 7-19 g.

z L>gL>l(-

.L'tl -l r4rr.\Lr t _y )