ABOUT       

The Travellers in Ottoman Lands (TIOL) project is a series of seminars and publications that explore the experiences of travellers to, from and within the lands that formerly formed part of the Ottoman Empire, and the impact of their journeys. TIOL aims to initiate and encourage research and learning with particular reference to the history of travel in territories that were once part of the Ottoman Empire. These include Asia Minor, Egypt, North Africa, the Levant, the Red Sea coast of the Arabian Peninsula, Sudan, and northwards through Iraq, to Türkiye, the Caucasus, Greece and the Balkans.

The project focuses on various aspects of travel, including cultural exchange, religious interactions between different cultures and religions within the Ottoman lands, environment and archaeology. It also explores the ways in which travel accounts and experiences shaped the formation of subsequent national identities and the transition from the Ottoman Empire to successor nation-states in the region. The project examines the experiences of travellers from various backgrounds –  merchants, diplomats, scholars, pilgrims, and more – as they navigated and documented Ottoman lands and the impact Ottoman culture had on these travellers and their writings.

The TIOL committee aims to publish a selection of peer-reviewed papers after each seminar. Each of the seminars and resulting publications are based on a particular theme, and as part of any seminar, we also aim to include visits to relevant sites, museums, libraries etc., and to hold related exhibitions and discussions.

The publication series offers detailed exploration of Ottoman Lands, in line with the theme of related seminars. As a result, TIOL draws on diverse academic disciplines, including history, literature, cultural studies and botany, to provide a comprehensive understanding of travel in the Ottoman context.

The Group is keen to foster an international, co-operative, interdisciplinary network of academics, relevant associations, private scholars and other people interested in the history of travel in Ottoman Lands.