Evliya Çelebi's Seyahatname is being updated

338-YEAR-OLD WORK

Expressing that the work will be rewritten as a source text for scientific circles, Duman stated that they have 3 goals: “The first is a scholarly edition based on philological principles, the second is a popular edition based on this scholarly edition, and the third is a digital travelogue.”

Many prominent names from the scientific world, such as Prof. Dr. Robert Dankoff, Nuran Tezcan, Hayati Develi, Nurettin Gemici, Zekeriya Kurşun, Slobodan Ilic, and Marta Andrić, will be part of the travelogue working groups to bring the 338-year-old work to the academic world.

'WE THINK EVERYONE IS AWARE'

Stating that Evliya Çelebi's Seyahatname has been written by various publications since 1896, Duman said, “We think this work was written around 1685. After a journey that lasted 51 years. He set out from Istanbul for the Hajj to the Kaaba, did not return from there, and went to Egypt. And he wrote the 10th volume by describing the events in Egypt and its surroundings, etc.

Therefore, he created the first volume by describing Istanbul and its surroundings, and the last volume by describing Egypt, Cairo, and its surroundings. This work is also ours. It is a part of Turkish culture. It is a work that emerged from the pen of an Istanbulite Turkish intellectual born in Unkapanı. It would have been good if many studies had been done on this work. Was nothing done? It was.

In 1896, printer and owner of İkdam Newspaper, Ahmet Cevdet, published the travelogue. They published the first 6 volumes in the old script. The publishing work started there. Before that, the famous Austrian Historian Hammer used this work in his own studies. He wrote articles. Later, he published selections from it. In the 1800s, European scientific circles also became aware of the work. In 1916, 2 more volumes were added, and later it was completed to 8. With the 9th and 10th volumes finally published in the new script around 1936, the set was seemingly completed.

These studies are valuable works. However, these are studies that could only be done under the conditions of that day. Everyone saw that there were weaknesses in their scientific quality and that they were not sufficient. Because the 17th-century travelogue reflects the Turkish of that period from the mouth and pen of Evliya Çelebi.

Therefore, there is a lot of material in the travelogue regarding the Turkish language and languages, world languages, and dialects of Turkish. There are quotes based on personal observation. Therefore, there was always a need for a scientific edition where Evliya Çelebi's language is reflected as it is. At this stage, we have 3 goals.

'IT SHOULD BE EASILY ACCESSIBLE IN A DIGITAL ENVIRONMENT'

The first is a scholarly edition based on philological principles, the second is a popular edition based on this scholarly edition, and the third is a digital travelogue. We want to use a method in the travelogue where digital data is used extensively and is very useful today. To make the information in the travelogue, which the relevant institution will make available, easily accessible in a digital environment with its images, original text, and additional information.

News Source: İHA