Some epigraphic and archaeological documents from Western Anatolia during the late Ottoman period

Abstract

The focus of this article is on the post-medieval archaeological heritage of İzmir, especially during the 19th century. The material selected consists of Armenian inscriptions from İzmir and its close environs, since there is a paucity of archaeological scholarship for the Armenian community of the Ottoman Empire. The paper is based on the survey of sixteen Armenian inscriptions across nine locations in and around İzmir, with discussion of the Armenian material culture of the Late Ottoman Period, as well as transcription and translation of these inscriptions, although a history of Armenia in general is outside the scope of the article. As Armenian grave markers can be taken as active interventions in social relations, this paper offers a potential for reconstructing the social complexities of late Ottoman İzmir.