PERSONAL BATHS OF THE OTTOMAN ELITE IN THE 18TH CENTURY

Abstract

The studies on the personal hygiene in the Ottoman society were generally examined within the framework of "baths built by (waqf) foundations" and the residential baths, which are part of the private life, have been evaluated by architectural historians. In this study, residential baths are examined as private washing places located in the houses of 18th century Istanbul highranking state officials according to the Muhallefat Defters in the Ottoman Archives of the Turkish Prime Ministry. Confiscation of the property and registering the goods in the sealed houses by the officers enabling us to reach important information like detailed presentation of places and where space facilities are located. In this context, data about housing baths provides enlightening information as the physical properties of these spaces and the furnishing elements. Because it is a practice that firstly comes from the upper classes as a part of the process that begins with the water being delivered to the houses, it is also meaningful to choose the study area of the houses of Ottoman bureaucrats. It is thought that these baths have similar named parts exhibit a space organization in a similar way to the typological characteristics of the public baths in urban texture. Besides their positioning and segmentation of residential baths information is also provided on the objects such as seating elements, frames, bath sets, hammocks, bowls, loincloths, towels, and soaps.