“They Call Them Antiḳa”. Ottoman Travellers in Italy and the Idea of Antiquities in the Early Tanzimat Period

Abstract

During the nineteenth century, the Ottoman fashion of looking at archaeological relics, present in large quantities in the territories of the Empire, deeply changed. This paper examines the reports of three Ottoman travellers who visited European countries in the early Tanzimat period. They introduced a new conceptualization of antiquities that stemmed from the direct observation of ancient monuments and museums in Italian cities. My argument is that the experience of travelling in Italy was one of the factors that contributed to shaping the new perception of antiquities that was emerging among the Ottoman elite.