Glossary

Persian

Quantity

Opium

Wooden

Modern-day Euboea, the second-largest of the Greek islands

Paternal half-brother

Maternal half-brother

Stable

White (old-fashioned term)

The standard unit of currency

Counting board, abacus

Spotted with white, or spotted with black and white

Red (old-fashioned term)

Striped, brightly colored, multicolored. May also be a type of striped or multicolored fabric.

Six

Gold

Underneath

Sixty

Parents (lit. "mother and father")

Full brother

Full sister

Mother

Granary

A type of hat worn by both sexes

Backrest?

An ell of fabric

Honey

Ten, -teen

Sleeves

Horse

Horse stable

A thick, highly prized silk satin fabric

Courtyard

Footed

Bear

Mirror

Gate, door. Also used as a counter for rooms.

Father

Almonds

Vineyard

A wildly expensive fabric that appears in the estate records without explanation. Given the cost, it was definitely silk, possibly with gold or silver threads, possibly brocaded; given the name, it was made in Baghdad.

Valuable

Garden

Copper

A metal bucket, sometimes lidded

Fishnet

Cylindrical bolster

Wax, beeswax

Axe

A type of hat

Block printed

Flag, standard

A bangle or charm bound on the upper arm

named

A sturdy cotton fabric, often locally made and/or homespun, that was used for furnishings

A style of men's trousers

Five

White

State treasury

A type of cotton or linen cloth

Knife

Bracelet

son (of)

Thousand

Building

Daughter (of)

One

Another

Water well

Basement

A high-quality cotton twill used as a lining for high-quality garments and an outer shell for more humble garments

Choker or collar

Wrapping cloth, used to carry or store items

Baking pan for börek

Burnoose

Wheat

Incense burner

Cracked wheat

Situated

Large

Large

Jackal

Loose trousers tapered at the ankle. Worn by both sexes.

A kaftan-like robe worn by both sexes. Anachronistically referred to by modern scholars as an entari.

Mosque

Bowl

Braid

With braid

Female slave

Bedsheet

Gold-brocaded silk velvet with a raised design

New

Gentleman

Steel

A band that women tied around their hats as decoration or to hold their headscarves on. Made from a wrapped scarf or handkerchief.

Fountain

Algerian

Possibly a mosquito net

Pair

Decorated ceramic

Boots

Earthenware pot

Woolen broadcloth, or an outer coat made of broadcloth

Jumada II (Jumādá al-ākhirah), the sixth month of the Islamic year

The fifth month of the Islamic year

Jumada II (Jumādá al-ūlá), the fifth month of the Islamic calendar

Small garden

Sack

Inside, inner (i.e., courtyard)

Inner courtyard

A type of light, affordable-but-not-cheap silk

A different...

Brokerage fee

Iron

Of iron

An exceptionally fine type of cotton batiste

Pestle

Pestle

Earthenware pitcher or jug

Inkstand

Another

Embroidered (lit. "sewn")

Possibly fustian, a heavy cloth made of cotton, linen, wool, or a mixture of fibers

Turkish dram, equal to 3.207 g (0.1131 oz)

Loose knee-length pants

A strand, as in "a strand of pearls"

Ninety

Nine

A type of loose overcoat that, unlike all other overcoats, was belted shut rather than buttoned

Underpants

A length of fabric long enough to make a garment

Four

Mattress

Mattress cover

Mat

Buttons

Shop

Pearl

Outstanding debt

Slippers

Scholar; a title given to preachers and teachers

Kemaliye, a city in eastern Anatolia

Cloth

Fifty

Apple-colored

Agent of the imperial treasury. Appears as an heir when all or a portion of the estate has no claimant.

The Judas flower.Image credit: Bouba The color of the judas-tree flower, similar to fuchsia

Male, boy, son

Brother

Fruit trees

Old

The first ten-day period of the month

The second ten-day period in a month

Saddle

Lantern

Lampshade, lantern cover

Lantern

A full-length, loose-fitting overcoat with long, wide sleeves, worn by both men and women

Above, on top of

Upper floor; signifies that a house has two storeys

Barrel

Mattress

Baking oven

Skirt

European ("Frankish")

Silk bath wrap

Unknown whether the person is alive or dead

Non-fruiting

not, non-

Possibly "necklace"

Case or cover

The long shift worn by both sexes

Short-spouted pitcher, often used as a water jug

Rosewater sprinkler

Male slave

Rose-colored

Silver

Made of silver

Of silver, or (of a knife, sword, etc.) inlaid with silver

Frankincense

Pilgrim, one who has made the Hajj

Knotted carpet

Bath, bathhouse, bathing room

Bath shirt

Bath scrub-cloth

Bowl for pouring water over oneself in the bath

Fee for transportation of goods or for the services of a porter

Alcoholic beverage

Five

Fifteen

Dagger

House

House in the neighborhood of the deceased person

House with two storeys

House with only one storey

House with two storeys

Literally “houses,” but probably meaning one house or house compound with multiple rooms

Short spear or javelin; ramrod

Watered silk, moire silk

Outer (i.e., courtyard)

Outer courtyard

Because of, by reason of, on account of, in consequence of

Rush mat

Firewood

Signet ring

Respectful title for a married woman

Mortar

Mortar (as in "mortar and pestle"

Courtyard

Closet? Latrine?

Saddlebag

Portion

The son's portion

The husband's portion

The wife's portion

Cucumber

Preacher, teacher

Ink pot

Copy of a court record

A scrap

Son (of)

Daughter

Long-spouted pitcher, ewer

Coffeepot

Indoor boots

Needle

The fee for citation or summons

Two

Pearl

Figs

Transfer of the inheritance to the heirs

Yarn or thread

Linen cloth

A stool or stand

Two

Jeweled tiara

A town famed for its decorated ceramic wares

Velvet. There were many types of velvet, but if a fabric is described only as kadife, it was probably single-color, single-pile velvet.

Made of velvet

A full-length robe worn by both sexes as formal dress

Tinned

Coarse sieve

A small carpet? A knotted carpet?

Mold

Bloodroot

Oil lamp

A unit of weight equal to 56.449 kg (124.45 lb)

Lid

Lid, or lidded

Lidless

A type of overcoat

Gate, door

Door curtain

Brother, sibling

Spoon

Mule

Jar

An impressively poofy variety of turban

Boat

Boathouse

Boiler

Cauldron or copper kettle

Pickaxe

Kebab skewer

Felt, or a mat made of felt; thinner than keçe

Large

Grown daughter

Felt, or a felt floor mat

Felt table pad?

Hank

Archery bow

Silk brocade of a type referred to by modern scholars as lampas

Themselves

Herself

Hemp

Latrine

Ladle

Linen fabric

Linen cloth

Colander

Sulphur

Light yellow (literally "sulphur-colored")

Pantry, storeroom for food

Lit. "sold from the pantry." Probably the value of the deceased's edible goods.

Sword

Case, cover

Mattress cover

Cover for a seat cushion

Flatweave rug

Cumin

Forty

Red

A heavy, canvas-like fabric sometimes used as sailcloth

Coriander

Coffee beans

Piece, unit, item

Book

Value

Daughter, girl

Sister

Reddish-yellow or golden color

Husband

Old

Small

Cloth

Earrings

A full-length overcoat with a fitted body and long, fitted sleeves. Worn by both sexes.

Fur, or a garment made of fur

Made of fur

Belt

Box

Navy blue

Iznikware basin, dated 1510-1520. Image © Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Basin

Washbasin

Harbor

Pearls

and

Shop

Neighborhood

In the neighborhood of [preceding name]

Bordered

Firewood storage space

Storeroom, storage space

Blue

Seat cushion

Handkerchief

Brazier

A drinking cup shaped like a mug

Kitchen, a separate building located as far away from the main house as possible

Died

Court session

Dowry

House, possibly a house compound with more than one building on the grounds

Coral

Lentils

The deceased (male)

The deceased (female)

Indoor shoes

Fruit

Tray for serving fruit

The aforementioned

Hundred

Architect

From among the heirs

The third ten-day period of the month

Seat cushion

Mirror

Egyptian

A unit of weight equal to 1.5 dirhem or 4.25 g (0.150 oz)

Cairo

Purple

Blessed

Single, unmarried (male)

The inheritance of

The sacred month of Muharram (the first month of the Islamic calendar)

Courtyard. Also means "enclosed, walled."

A cheap mohair fabric

Excellent, complete

To own

Embroidered (when referring to textiles), decorated with a pattern

Exclusively, especially

Jeweled

Used

Surrounding (adj.)

Joint, common

The deceased

Agent (female)

Embroidered with gold thread

Hatchet

Support allowance

Cash

Embroidered

Pattens used in the bathhouse

Mother named [preceding name]

A (married) woman named... [preceding name]

son named [preceding name]

wife named [preceding name]

Orange (color)

A woman's decorative headscarf

Half

Half

Copper

Fireplace

Fire screen; or, possibly, a curtain that closes off the fireplace in summer

Room (pl. odalar)

Wood

Son

Arrow

Slain

Ten thousand, myriad

In front of

Something that wraps or covers

Thirty

Horse tack

Babouches

A piece of...

House-boots

Pekmez, grape syrup

Cotton

Curtain

Door curtain

Alcove curtain

A type of tray used as a tabletop

Hand towel

Bath wrap

Cheese

Cheese grater

Spring, fountain

Rice

Box for storing rice

Turquoise

Fur or leather

Bear fur

Sable fur

Squirrel fur

Compass

Horse trappings

Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic year

The blessed month of Ramadan (the ninth month of the Islamic calendar)

Rebi II (Rabī‘ ath-thānī), the fourth month of the Islamic calendar

Rebi I (Rabī‘ al-awwal), the third month of the Islamic calendar

Court fee

The judge's fee

Judge's fee

Clarified sheep's butter

Olive oil

Greek

Clock

The esteemed month of Shaban (the eighth month of the Islamic year)

Soap

Fringed

Tripod for placing cookpots over the fire

A hair ornament of silver or gold chains that women tied to the end of their braid

Plain. Also the name of a type of rather unfashionable robe, often white.

Adj., wife's son from a previous marriage

Adj., wife's daughter from a previous marriage

Safar, the second month of the Islamic calendar

The victorious month of Safar (the second month of the Islamic calendar)

Small (of an object), a minor (of a person)

Underaged daughter. Girls came of age at puberty or age 15, whichever came first.

A dish for cooking and serving pilaf

Raw leather, Moroccan leather

while on a Mediterranean naval expedition

Gum or resin

Cashmere woven in complex patterns

A style of men's trousers

Candlestick

Sable

Chest, trunk

Marten

Sarsaparilla

A type of hat particular to Christians

Yellow

Cleaver

Chess set

Seven

Green, possibly dark green

Prayer rug

Mother-of-pearl

To testify as a witness in court

A share, a portion

Sugar

Eight

Eighty

Reception room where men received male guests

Thessalonika

Wax

Year

The year 1005 (1596-1597)

The year 1007 (1598-1599)

The year 1006 (1597-1598)

Made of basketwork

Basket

A large lidded basket covered in thin leather, flat on the back and rounded on the other three sides. Because of its lightness, it was ideal for shipping items.

A rich brocade with a ground of gold or silver threads

Saddle

Shawwāl, the tenth month of the Islamic year

The noble month of Shawwāl (the tenth month of the Islamic year)

Cattle shed

Silver

Made of silver

Squirrel fur

Squirrel-colored

A large tray used as a tabletop for meals

Bell jar

Syrup bowl

A brocade with no metal threads

Vinegar

Silver or gold thread

Embroidered with silver or gold thread

Blown glass bottle

Six

Sixteen

Black

Mohair

A covered porch that the other rooms in the house open onto. Used as a living room and workspace.

A stand that supported the large tray used as a tabletop during meals

Water well

Sugar

Underaged son

Legitimate (daughter), lit. “from one's loins”

Legitimate (son), lit. “from one's loins”

Settlement

Hyacinth

Orange-red, possibly dark

Dark blue

Plate

Frying pan

Pan for making kebab

A type of fairly substantial silk

Written in... [followed by the date]

Possibly a storeroom or terrace on top of a house

Lower floor; a house described as tahtânî has only one storey

A single...

Side

Comb

Bowl

Rabbit

Chicken coop

Burial expenses

Trough

Russian

Woven with metal threads

Cooking pot

A flat baking pan, or a serving tray

Scales

Prayer beads

Saw

Weaving loom?

Angora, aka mohair

Arrow

Bow and arrows

Quiver

Quiver

Nine

Nine hundred

Ninety

Flaxseed

A type of low riding boot

A bolt of fabric

Bag

Rifle

A type of fine cotton cloth similar to batiste, and often used for turbans; or a turban

A style of men's trousers that was very wide in the leg and ungathered at the ankle

Turkish

Pickle

Orange (color)

Salt

Three

Drawstring, a fairly substantial affair made of a wide band of linen that was twisted before being put through the waistband

Paternal half-sister

Full sister

Maternal half-sister

Upper floor; signifies that a house has two storeys

Mother

Unspun fiber

Razor

Stepmother

Stirrup

Background (of a textile or other decorated surface)

Grapes

Long-sleeved

Charitable foundation

Mother

Heirs

Heir

Heir

Lynx

Bequest

and

One thousand and [the preceding number]. Indicates the year in the Islamic calendar.

Deceased

Who died

Who died and left behind

Legal proxy

A type of blanket made of thick wool with a nap on one side

Of inheritance

Oil

A napkin. Literally a "cloth for wiping oil from the mouth after eating"; despite their purpose, these were often highly embroidered.

Raincoat (worn only by men)

Dish for cooking and serving stew and casseroles

Ruby

Gilded

A type of felt made in the Rumelian town of, yes, Yanbolu

Roasted

Set of two veils worn by women in public

Back pillow

Pillowcase for a back pillow

Bow (as in "bow and arrow")

Seven

Total

Sail

Sleeves

Green

Seventy

Twenty

Quilt

Thimble

Oats

Hundred

Cover

Ring

Saffron?

Case

Basket woven of rushes or palm leaves

Ginger

Ginger-colored

Gold

Husband

Wife

A hip-length jacket that both sexes wore over their shirt/shift and under their kaftans

The noble month of Dhū al-Ḥijjah (the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar)

Bell

Zilkade (Dhū al-Qa‘dah), the eleventh month of the Islamic calendar

The noble month of Zilkade (Dhū al-Qa‘dah, the eleventh month of the Islamic calendar)

A non-Muslim subject living in Muslim-ruled lands. In 15th/16th century Istanbul, it usually referred to a Greek Christian.

An ell, about 26" long

Armor

Emerald