HAMMAM CULTURE AND TEXTILES IN OTTOMAN HISTORY

Abstract

For thousands of years, the Turkish people have had a deep appreciation for water, which has led to the development of traditional hammam rituals influenced by Anatolian culture and Islam. Textile materials were also necessary for these rituals. During the Ottoman Empire, the quality of hammam textiles and adornments determined the social status of families who frequented the hammams. Today, Turkish hammams are renowned worldwide for their unique cultural significance. The use of adornment, which originated in palaces, extended to the public and was applied to hammam textiles. These textiles are considered works of art and are used in rituals such as bride and groom hammams, circumcision hammams, and military hammams. The towel, an essential bath textile, was initially called 'pile' due to the loops on its fabric surface and has since evolved into the modern-day towel. Its most significant characteristic is its ability to absorb water due to the 'pile' loops. As a result, it is particularly favored in damp environments. The towel, typically featuring a looped texture, can also be woven without loops. These towels are often embellished with embroidery and are commonly referred to as peshkir, mezel, fringed, destimal, oilcloth, environment, handkerchief, makrama, gergah flarkiri, yağdan, face cloth, peshtamal, üslük, or futa.  While these products may have varying local names due to differences in size and intended use, they all serve the purpose of drying, wiping, and covering. This study aims to examine Ottoman hammam textiles in historical records and explain the significance of the Turkish towel in textile production history. The study conducted document analysis by directly using archives and collections. It is important in revealing the relations between historical processes and addressing methodological elements, and aims to contribute to the existing field. The Ottoman Palace records refer to this item as a hammam shirt. It is the only bath shirt in the palace that belonged to Sultan Murad IV (1623-1640), and it has been preserved to this day. The book 'One Hundred Years of the Royal Turkish Towel from 1851 to 1951' is another significant source for information on the towel. It details the establishment of the Royal Turkish Towel Industry in England. This source explains how the Turkish towel inspired the world in the development of towel production technology.