Amazon Prime Student 6-month Trial


Find the perfect fit with Amazon Prime. Try Before You Buy.



Illustration of Ottomans from

Elbicei Atika. Musée des Anciens Costumes Turcs de Constantinople, par Jean Brindesi

Plate 16

Soytarı BaşıBektaşı DevesiSoytarıDeli Başı
Seirdin-Ustasi Bektachi Emin Baba Soitari Deli Bachi
Chef des Bouffons Derviche Bouffon des Volontaires Chef des cavaliers irréguliers
Chief of the Buffoons Dervish Buffoon of the Volunteers Chief of irregular cavalry



Sersop ya da zırzop; soytarı (jester) is a term used in the sense of humorous and is the name of the person in charge of making the sultan laugh in his spare time in the palace. He is depicted in the same way in all of the new period albums. Only in the Pichelstein Album, he is depicted in two different ways, one as a sultan and the other as a Hacivat vagrant.
Source: Osmanlı kıyafet albümleri (1770-1810) by Nurdan Küçükhasköylü



Compare Seğirdim in État militaire ottoman depuis la fondation de l'Empire jusqu'a nos jours (1882) by A. Djevad Bey, 1851-1900.

The meat belonging to the Janissaries was brought from the slaughterhouses outside the city by privates called seğirdim, distributed and cooked in the hearth. This was supervised by the seğirdim aşçıbaşı, and the cooks under this person were called seğirdim aşçısı.
Osmanlı kıyafet albümleri (1770-1810) by Nurdan Küçükhasköylü



Seğirdim Aşçısı in Fenerci Mehmed Albumu Topkapi Sarayi Müzesi (Topkapi Palace Museum) Ms. Ahmed III 3690


A version from a set of Turkish postcards made in the 1950s.

Previous: Soldiers of the Police (Patrol). ADC to the Lieutenant General. Messenger of the Palace (Officer).
    Next: Footman of the Grand Vizier. Usher of the Divan. Guard of the Ambassadors
Back to Ottoman Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers in Elbicei Atika. Muséee des Anciens Costumes Turcs de Constantinople, par Jean Brindesi.