Conference Abstract: Once, We Were Here: Traces of Mobility across the Ottoman Empire
In the Ottoman era, individuals and groups exhibited a complex pattern of mobility: Internal and external, temporary and permanent, individual and communal. while much attention has been paid to travelers, their routes, and sights, there remains a rich history hidden in the material traces left behind. This conference invites scholars to explore the material aspects of these travelers’ experiences, their motivations, and the broader social, religious, and economic dynamics these traces reveal.
This conference is organized in the framework of the project “Travelers on the Margins: Mobility of Arabic-Speaking Christians in the Ottoman Empire,” which focuses on the marginal notes left by Arabic-Speaking Christian travelers in manuscripts at St. Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai, Egypt. The conference takes a broader approach, expanding the scope to material traces left behind—not only in marginal notes of manuscripts but also in inscriptions, objects, and other forms of material culture. Also, it encompasses the journeys and movements of travelers from various religious and cultural backgrounds across the Ottoman Middle East. The conference, in turn, poses questions about and drawing upon three core elements:
Travelers and their Journeys: Individuals who left evidence of their travel through religious and secular institutions, not only in written records but also through material artifacts. Who were these individuals? What were the social, political, and religious motivations behind these movements? How did these internal travels compare with external journeys outside the Ottoman realm? What strategies did travelers employ to navigate both the challenges of the road and the complex political and social landscapes of the Ottoman Empire?
Road stops and destinations (religious and secular institutions along travel paths): How did these institutions facilitate mobility, and what role did they play in documenting and preserving these histories, and fostering interactions?
Material Traces: What kinds of material traces (e.g., marginalia, inscriptions, personal belongings) did the travelers leave behind, and what do these artifacts tell us about the social and religious networks that sustained them? How can the study of material culture—from inscriptions to marginal notes—offer new perspectives on the experiences of Eastern Christians and other communities in the Ottoman world?
While the focus remains on Eastern Christian mobility within the Ottoman Middle East, this conference also seeks comparative approaches that explore similar themes across different regions or religious traditions. This may include the mobility of other minority religious groups or travelers from diverse regions who left behind similar material traces.
