Vildan Serdaroğlu Coşkun

© İSAM, İstanbul 2007 79
Multi-Dimensional Functions of Ottoman Poetry
Vildan Serdaroğlu*
İslâm Araştırmaları Dergisi, Sayı 17, 2007, 79-101
Literary Representations on Architectural Structures: Chronograms,
Epigraphs and Inscriptions
To date, Ottoman poetry has been known generally as a literary corpus
and assessed with aestetic and literary criteria within its own limits. However,
studies carried out over the last decade show that it has multifunctional features
that relate to the other arts with which it has been placed. Ottoman poetry
was one of the most powerful literary media in sixteenth century-Istanbul
and formed a mutual relationship with other arts, in particular with architec-
Ottoman poetry has been generally recognized as a literary corpus
and assessed with aestetic and literary criteria within its own limits.
However, according to recent studies it has multifunctional features
that relate to many arts. Ottoman poetry increased its own function
by serving other arts and fields to the same extent that the political
and economic success affected artistic inclinations during the sixteenth
century. In particular, literary texts that were inscribed on architectural
monuments, artistic works in themselves, both increased the aesthetic
features of the edifice and made contributions to the field of history and
art history by adding literary, artistic, historical and biographical richness
and value. This is the multifunctional aspect of Ottoman poetry.
Chronograms, epigraphs and inscriptions, which are the intersections
of poetry and architecture, are essential examples of this multifunctional
feature. This study aims to examine the multidimensional functions
of poetry as reflected in the inscriptions, epigraphs and chronograms
that have been engraved on architectural monuments, such as
mosques, fountains, hospitals, baths, tombs, shrines and gravestones.
Since this study focuses only on the 16th century, it will make contribution
to the few number of works that have been written in this field,
in which literature meets architecture, which to date have been mainly
concerned with later eras, like the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.
Key words: Ottoman poetry, architecture, chronograms, inscriptions,
epigraphs.
* PhD., İSAM. I wish to thank Turgut Karabey, Orhan Kemal Tavukçu and Aylin Pektaş
who made special contributions to the chronogram calculations.
İslâm Araştırmaları Dergisi
80
ture.1 In the same way that the political and economic success effected artistic
inclinations in many ways during the sixteenth century, Ottoman poetry
also increased its own function by serving other arts and fields. In particular,
literary texts which are inscribed in architectural monuments, artistic works
in themselves, both increased the aesthetic features of the edifice and made
contributions to the field of history and art history by adding literary, artistic,
historical, biographical richness and value. This is the multifunctional aspect
of Ottoman poetry. Chronograms, epigraphs and inscriptions, which are the
intersections of poetry and architecture, are essential examples of this multifunctional
feature. This study aims to examine the multidimensional functions
of poetry as reflected in the inscriptions, epigraphs and chronograms that are
engraved on architectural monuments, such as mosques, fountains, hospitals,
baths, tombs, shrines and gravestones. A contribution will be made to other
studies done in this field by showing how literary texts are represented on the
architectural structures; in addition the importance of these texts for understanding
the significance of edifices, in particular, and using them as sources
for literary and architectural studies in general will be mentioned. Despite the
fact that a few works have been written in this field where literature meets architecture,
these are mainly concerned with later times like the 17th, 18th and
19thcenturies2, whereas this paper focuses on 16th century. Also, in a study
carried out on the work of Sinan during the reign of Suleyman the Magnificent3
there are many examples of kitabe text, but no literary value has been
given to these. In this paper, the meanings of the poems are given in order to
illustrate their function.
The Art of Writing
The art of writing is the main and most significant component of decoration
in Islamic art.4 Almost all architectural edifices have different forms of
1 For the relationship between architecture and poetry in the 16th century see Vildan
Serdaroğlu, “When Literature and Architecture Meet: Architectural Images of the Beloved
and the Lover in Sixteenth-Century Ottoman Poetry”, Muqarnas, an Annual on the
Visual Culture of the Islamic World, 23, (2006), 273-287.
2 See Günay Kut, Hatice Aynur, “İstanbul’un Mimarî Yapılarından Kitabe Örnekleri”, Prof.
Nihad M. Çetin’e Armağan, (Istanbul: İÜ Edebiyat Fakültesi, 1999), pp. 63-96; Hatice
Aynur, Hakan T. Karateke, II. Ahmed Devri İstanbul Çeşmeleri, 1703-1730, (Istanbul :
Istanbul Büyükşehir Belediyesi, 1995.)
3 See İ. Aydın Yüksel, Osmanlı Mimarisinde Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Devri: (926-974/
1520-1566), (Istanbul: Istanbul Fetih Cemiyeti, 2004.)
4 For a discussion on the importance and development of calligraphy in Islamic art and
civilization, see Sheila S. Blair and Jonathan M. Bloom, “Art and Architecture, Themes
and Variations,” The Oxford History of Islam, ed. by. John L. Eposito, (New York: Oxford
University Press, 1999), pp. 215-268.
Multi-Dimensional Functions of Ottoman Poetry
81
literary texts carved either on the inner or outer surfaces. Each monument carries
a certain type of text in accordance with its function and symbolic meaning.
For instance, the Qur’anic verses, which are used for religious buildings,
are very carefully selected to match the particular situation. These texts can
provide clues about the significance of a particular building and the meaning
of that edifice.
Why would an architect feel an urge to decorate his work of art with a literary
text? Is it simply a way of decoration? Or should these literary texts be
given more meaning? The examples given in this study are approached from
the view that the literary texts might present interesting information about
the concept that lay behind the building itself. In other words, literary texts
intensify and immortalize these architectural works by adding literal and spiritual
dimensions to the historical one. The aim of an architect, whose role is
indisputably central in creating monuments, is not only to create a functional
building which serves the immediate purposes of the patron, but also to create
an aesthetic as well as a functional structure that should please both the body
and the spirituality of the spectators with the idea that beautification helps
the building to become monumentalized. Only after refining the monument
adequately the author of the edifice can leave it in the hands of immortality.
Literary texts are the ways of expressing the architects’ desire to attain the
immortality of the edifice.5 Examining literary texts on buildings gives us an
insight as to how different arts were combined in the 16th century setting, as
well as helping us to better understand the religious and literal associations
of such buildings. For example, the great Ottoman architect Sinan describes
how and why the Süleymaniye Mosque, which is one of most important of
the immortal Ottoman architectural edifices, if not the most important one,
was decorated with verses and other texts after the completion of the main
structure.
Finally, the largest dome was finished and the other parts were advancing. Hasan
Karahisari,6 who was the Mecca of calligraphers, inscribed the verse “Allahu
yumsiku’s-semevati ve’l-arz”7 in a very beautiful calligraphy, hoping to leave it
there forever. Additionally, different inscriptions (kitabe) were placed over each
gate. These inscriptions were prepared by the most talented calligraphers and then
5 For further information see Michael Rogers, “The Arts under Süleyman the Magnificent”,
Süleyman the Second and His Time, ed. by. Halil İnalcık and Cemal Kafadar, (Istanbul:
ISIS Press, 1993), pp. 257-294.
6 Ahmed Karahisari (d.1556) For the works of Karahisari in the Süleymaniye Complex,
see Uğur Derman, “Kanuni Devrinde Yazı Sanatımız”, Kanuni Armağanı, (Ankara:
Türk Tarih Kurumu Basımevi, 1970), p. 277.
7 The Qur’an (35/41)
İslâm Araştırmaları Dergisi
82
engraved by engravers and inscribers on stone, in order to leave a page in time
which flies like the wind.8
Sometimes architects were not satisfied with only engravings of literary
texts on the surfaces of their architectural creations, but completed the experience
by writing about it in separate literary texts. In explaining the reason
d’étre for his tract on architecture, Sinan was reported to have said to the poet
Saî (d. 1595) that he wanted to combat mortality by recording his experience
in a separate literary work. Upon this request, Saî, a poet and muralist,9
helped him make his monuments immortal.
I am very old now. But I do not want my works to be forgotten in the passing of
times like scattered leaves before the wind, and I want to be remembered with my
good deeds. Would you write what I narrate?10
Either because of the desire of the architects, or the will of the poet there
were also many occasions when poets produced poems and prose to praise
and describe the monuments. It seems that the architect tended to ornament
his work with Qur’anic verses, hadiths and poems.
In this study, I will discuss the function and significance of the inscriptions
and chronograms in Ottoman culture and provide examples from different
kinds of monuments.
Writings on and for Monuments in Turkish Literature: Inscriptions
The writings that are made by carving or engraving or making relief on
marble, stone, wood, tile or metal slabs (pieces) on inner or outer walls of
buildings are called inscriptions.11 The discipline, which analyzes inscriptions,
8 Sâî Mustafa Çelebi (d. 1595), Yapılar Kitabı: Tezkiretü’l-bünyan ve Tezkiretü’l-ebniyye:
Mimar Sinan’ın Anıları, -faximile-translation-critical edition, Hayati Develi; translation
from Ottoman Turkish into modern Turkish, Samih Rifat-; introduction, Doğan Kuban,
(Istanbul: Koçbank, 2002).
9 According to the biographer Riyazi, Sâî had a divan. (Haluk İpekten et al), Tezkirelere
Göre Divan Edebiyatı İsimler Sözlüğü, Ankara: Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı, 1988), p.
414; Kınalızade, another biographer introduces Sâî as a poet and muralist (nakkaş) and
sees him as one of the most talented artists, and praises his works thus: “He is from
Istanbul and his name is Mustafa. He is Mâni the second (Mâni-i sâni) in engraving and
Erjeng was inspired by his engravings and drawings; all the designers of China were
filled with admiration and praised him with thousands of words of admiration; when
someone sees the works of his brush, they have faith in God, raising his finger like a
pen.” See Kınalızade Hasan Çelebi, Tezkiretü’ş-Şuara I, (Ankara: Türk Tarih Kurumu,
1978), pp. 441-442.
10 Saî, ibid., p.24
11 For the definition and history of inscriptions, see F.T. Dijkema, A Alpaslan, “Kitabet”,
EI2, CD version; and Ali Alparslan “Kitabe”, DİA, vol 26, pp. 76-81.
Multi-Dimensional Functions of Ottoman Poetry
83
is called epigraphy and was first studied in the West in the 19th century.12
There are distinctive motifs used to decorate works of art and architecture in
the Islamic geography and these are invaluable sources for history, art history
and literature. In Islamic culture in general, writing is an ever-present feature
of art and architecture because of its sacred importance.13 In order to understand
an architectural monument, as Gülru Necipoğlu argues, one should be
aware of several interacting layers of meaning. One of the layers is inscription,
because both profane and religious messages are interwoven in the inscriptions
to communicate the patron’s worldly and heavenly desires.14 I would
like to add the poetical dimension of inscriptions inscriptions to this analysis,
as they are composed of one of the most powerful literary medium of the time,
poetry. In other words, inscriptions reflect the literary culture of a particular
time, as well as its artistic, ideological and historical culture.
Inscriptions on the monuments contain descriptions of the architect or patron
of the building – his different features, as well as the respect felt for him
and his status. Also they are nonfigurative elements that replace icons, which
cannot be used on Islamic monuments.
If we follow the classifıcation of Dijkema and Alparslan, inscriptions can be
divided epigraphically into three categories in the Ottoman geography: commemorative
inscriptions, pious inscriptions, and epitaphs. These are categories
classifıed in accordance with the nature of buildings. The most important
of these, both from the historical and the artistic point of view, is the first,
which includes inscriptions or kitabes that commemorate the constructions or
restorations of public buildings such as mosques, fountains, sebils (drinking
fountains), and, in later times government buildings such as offices, hospitals,
schools, and barracks.15 The history of Turkish inscriptions dates back to the
8th century during the Göktürks reigned in Mongolia. The gravestones of three
Turkic rulers, which are known as Orkhon monuments, have the fırst inscriptons
to be discovered by scholars. These inscriptions were written in both Turkish
and Chinese and provide us with many clues about the Turkic life at that
time. Although they are not to be considered as literary texts, they have some
12 This study is by Berchem, a Swiss historian who examined Islamic inscriptions by subdividing
works geographically such as Egypt, Syria, Asia Minor, and Anatolia. Blair,
Islamic Inscriptions, (New York: New York University Press, 1998), ibid, p. 13.
13 Sheila S. Blair, ibid, p. 3.
14 Gülru Necipoğlu Kafadar, “The Süleymaniye Complex in Istanbul: An Interpretation,”
Muqarnas, An annual on Islamic art and architecture, 3, (1985), pp. 92-117. The
interacting layers are functional, connotative (i.e. cultural associations and myths),
formal (architectonic) and literal (inscriptions). p. 92.
15 There are many different ways of categorizing inscriptions. They can be divided linguistically,
historically, geographically or typologically.
İslâm Araştırmaları Dergisi
84
literary clues like idioms, etc. As after the advent of Islam the Arabic language
affected Turkish people both religiously and culturally from early Anatolian-
Turkish history, inscriptions on buildings proliferated, both in content and style.
In the beginning Arabic was the common language for writing monumental
inscriptions. In medieval times, however, Persian was added to Arabic, as it
had been seen in monumental inscriptions in Iran. During the Ottoman Empire,
Arabic, Persian and Turkish were the languages used in inscriptions.
Turkish inscriptions began to be seen around the 15th century and they
spread to monuments in the 16th century. This age is also known as the zenith
of literary works, and poetic inscriptions began to be found on monuments at
this time.16
The pious inscriptions, on the other hand, contain passages from the
Qur’an and sayings of Prophet Muhammad, as well as and pious phrases like
the ninety-nine beautiful names of Allah, or those of the four great caliphs,
as well as prayers and poems. These were engraved for the most part on
religious buildings and often were more numerous with a longer format than
commemorative ones. In general, Ayah-al Kursi (2/255) is inscribed on sultanic
mosques. The reason for this is that the word “kursi” symbolizes God’s
power, strength and knowledge. It also means the “sultan’s throne”. Kursi is
the platform of the throne and thus it is associated with sovereignty, the sultanate,
honor and loftiness.17
Epitaphs are inscriptions on a tomb or a grave in memory of the one buried
there which are brief statements commemorating or personifying the deceased
person.18
16 Sheila S. Blair, ibid., p. 25. For more information, see F.T. Dijkema, A. Alpaslan, “Kitabet”.
“During the early Ottoman times, the general tradition was followed for the writing of
inscriptions in Arabic. The earliest inscription in Turkish is perhaps that of the madrasa
of Yakub Celebi (1411) in Kütahya (İsmail Hakkı Uzuncarşılı, Kütahya Şehri, (Istanbul:
Maarif Vekaleti, 1932, p. 79); later, especially from the end of the 16th century, this
came to be the language in most of the commemorative inscriptions and epitaphs. The
reason for this rather radical change was perhaps an increase in the prestige of Turkish
vis-a-vis Arabic following the Ottoman occupation of the Arab lands in the 16th and
early 17th centuries. Interestingly, the Arabic inscriptions are mostly prose, whereas
the Turkish ones are usually verse. The wording of the Arabic prose inscriptions closely
follows the models of the Mamluk and earlier Arabic epigraphy of Egypt and Syria. In
most commemorative verse inscriptions, both those in Arabic and those in Turkish, the
dates of the events commemorated are not expressed in figures or words, but hidden in
the chronograms.” EI2 CD version.
17 Murat Sülün, Sanat Eserine Vurulan Kuran Mührü, (İstanbul: Kaynak Yayınları, 2006),
p. 29.
18 F.T. Dijkema, A Alpaslan, “Kitabet“, EI2 CD version.
Multi-Dimensional Functions of Ottoman Poetry
85
One should always keep in mind, however, that in many instances these
are overlapping categories. That is to say, a pious inscription can be a commemaritve
one, or an epitaph could be a pious one. In the broader sense, all of
these inscriptions can be considered literary texts through which architecture
and literature are joined.
1. Commemorative inscriptions: kitabes with chronograms:
Commemorative inscriptions or kitabes, are engraved on buildings,
mosques, fountains, tombs and other monuments, and usually on the front
of the building.19 Almost all the monuments have a kitabe, which contains a
literary text that usually has been written in accordance with the abjad rules.
In most literary traditions there appears to be at least a threefold value system
assigned to letters: phonetic signs, semantic and numerical values.20 When
the letters are used numerically they have a special order known as abjad or
abujad. Abjad is the method of numeration with letters of the alphabet in
which the order of the letters is not considered and all their values are added
together.”21 Abjad is an acronym of the fırst four letters of the Arabic alphabet.
According to abjad, the letters of the alphabet are put into eight groups:
abjad, havvaz, hutti, kalaman, sa’fas, qarashat, sakhkhaz, zazzagh.22 Abjad,
or numerology, is an essential part of kitabes, since most of the kitabes
are written in accordance with the rules of abjad.23 There are some interpretations
of abjad that claim that these are the first letters of the names of sultans
who lived in the city of Madyan during the time Prophet Shuab (Jethro) and
that each letter tells of the creation of Adam and his expulsion from Paradise.
However these references have not been substantiated.24 As Farooqi puts it,
“letters carry hidden meanings in literary languages, being at once a sign and
intrinsic: the mumeric and prophetic, the cryptic and esoteric and the historic
19 For examples of kitabes see Halil Edhem’s pioneering work on the Trabzon monuments.
Halil Eldem, Trabzon’da Osmanlı Kitabeleri, haz. İsmail Hacıfettahoğlu, (Trabzon:
Trabzon Belediyesi Kültür Yayınları, 2001); and F. T. Dijkema, The Ottoman Historical
Monumental Inscriptions in Edirne, (Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1977).
20 Mehr Asfahan Farooqi, “The secret of letters: chronograms in Urdu literary culture”, The
Journal of Middle Eastern Literatures Edebiyat, vol 13., no 2, 2003. p. 147.
21 Hatice Aynur, “Istanbul in Divan Poetry: 1453-1600”, Acta Viennensia Ottomanica:
Akten des 13. CIEPO-Sypmosiums Comité international des etudes pre-ottomanes et
ottomanes (Selbstverlag: des Instituts für Orientalistik, 1999), p. 44.
22 Farooqi, ibid., p. 158.
23 For a short evaluation of the abjad and examples see, İsmail Yakıt, Türk-İslam Kültüründe
Ebced Hesabı ve Tarih Düşürme, (Istanbul: Ötüken Neşriyat, 1992).
24 Serkan Alkan İspirli, “Türk Edebiyatı’nda Tarih Düşürme Geleneği”, AÜ Türkiyat Araştırmaları
Ensititüsü Dergisi, 15, (2000), p. 79.
İslâm Araştırmaları Dergisi
86
and commemoratorive”.25 When a kitabe is an indication of the date of the
construction or restoration of the building, it is called chronogram.
In later times, the letters were used with numerical values as a literary device,
i.e. chrognrams. The dates were embedded in the verse marking important
occasions. Although Farooqi says that “chrongrams were also important
parts of the literary culture of Turkish, Persian end Urdu languages during the
17th and 19th centuries”26, as it is shown in this study, they were widely
used before that time as well.
Chronograms have been used for many ages for different purposes, such
as passwords for sending special notes, naming a child, to indicate the date of
writing for books and articles, in official records, and in different sciences such
as physics, mathematics, astronomy, architecture, jifr and wifq sciences and
mysticism. In the fıeld of history abjad is used for specifıc cases, the ascension
of a sultan, the birth of important people, their marriages, circumcisions or
deaths, or important events like fires, floods, victories, conquests, or the construction
of buildings.27 Most instances show that chronograms are inscribed
on monuments, but in some instances the chronograms are kept among the
poet’s other literary collections and placed at the end of divans. In this study
we will examine both types, regardless of whether they are found on monuments
or written separately.
Chronograms can be made out of part or all of a Qur’anic verse, or from a
prophetic tradition, or they could be a new poem. They can be as short as a
hemistich, a couplet or indeed an entire poem, written in Turkish, Arabic or
Persian. For example, while mosque and tomb kitabes could be written in Arabic,
fountain kitabes, on the other hand, were written in Persian. Although
chronograms are not that common in Persian or Arabic literature, they were
the pioneering literary art in Turkish literature.28 It is said that the first chronogram
in Turkish literature dates back to the time of Mehmed II for the mosque
he had built. The chronograms mentioned for this mosque belong to Hızır Bey
(d. 1459), but before him Ahmedî (d.?) had some chronograms,29 for example
he had a chrongram for his book.30 The oldest dates for the chrongrams
25 Farooqi, ibid., p. 147.
26 Farooqi, ibid., p. 149.
27 İsmail Yakıt , ibid., p. 40. For further information, see Yakıt, ibid., pp. 40-61.
28 İspirli, ibid., p. 79.
29 M. Kemal Özergin “Ahmet Paşa’nın Tarih Manzumeleri“, Türk Dili ve Edebiyatı Dergisi,
10, (1960), p. 166.
30 Yaşar Akdoğan, Ahmedi Divanından Seçmeler, (Ankara: Kültür Bakanlığı, 1988), p.
52.
Multi-Dimensional Functions of Ottoman Poetry
87
are those recited for the Rumeli fortress, and the conquest of Constantinople.31
Since writing a chronogram is an artistic form that requires great talent, there
are some poets, such as Saî (d.1596) or Kandî (d. 1555), who established
their reputations as writers of chronograms. I would like to illustrate here how
architectural buildings are dated by poetry in chronograms.
Mosques and masjids:
Apart from citadels and palaces, most Ottoman monumental architectural
structures served religious or charitable purposes. Mosques could be monumentally
massive to hold public prayers and Friday sermons, or they could be
smaller masjids, where only daily prayers were held. The kitabes in which the
name of the architect and the date of construction of the mosque and its function
were listed were mostly in Arabic, and these are known as foundation
inscriptions. The information about the date of construction, the reason why
the building had been constructed, the person who constructed it, for whom it
was constructed, as well as the date of restoration, if any, renders the edifice
more valuable both for history and literature.
In Turkish literature there are many works that containing chrongrams, but
there is only one devoted specifıcally to inscriptions: Şu.ara-yı Eslaf Tevarýh-i
Manzume (Istanbul University Library. Rare Works, No: 2508, 17b-19a.) This
work is a specific mecmua containing 99 kitabes written for various mosques
between the 15th and the 18th centuries by various poets. 99 kitabes suggest
the 99 beautiful names of God. The mosques are located not only in Istanbul,
but also in Baghdad, Belgrade and Mecca.32
The kitabes on monuments are usually in Arabic, but sometimes they can
be found in Ottoman Turkish and occasionally in Persian. For example, the
foundation inscription of the Üç Şerefeli Mosque in Edirne was composed in
Arabic and placed on the door that opens to the harem; this indicates both the
beginning and ending date of the construction of the mosque.
Tarýpu bed-i calik fes’elhu .an (rupamýn) (841/ 1437)
Tarýpu patm-i calik yupbiruke (payru ma) (851/1447)33
31 Yakıt , ibid., p. 126.
32 Aksu, ibid., p. 66.
33 Aksu, ibid., p. 66.
İslâm Araştırmaları Dergisi
88
“You can ask the date of the beginning of this building from Ruh’al emin!
The date of finishing will be told to you by he who has blessings upon him.”
The word at the end of each hemistich indicates the dates of the beginning
and the completion of the construction in the abjad calculation. The inscription
on the main door of the Kocamustafa Paşa Mosque is a supplication
written also in Arabic and is a good example of the kitabe being suited to the
purpose of the monument. The poet, writer and calligrapher İdris-i Bitlisî (d.
1520) composed the hemistich.
Rabbi evsil þavaben banýha (897/1491)34
“My Lord! Make the builder attain the Ultimate Truth!”
This statement fits the purpose of the building and its architect. The architect
wanted to perform a good deed in order to receive blessings from Allah.
One of the kitabes on the Şehzadebaşı Mosque dates the mosque and
describes its purpose:
Gft pýr-i supan be o tarýp
Ma.bedu ümmet-i Resulin emýn (955/1543)35
“This is a place of worship for the community of the reputable Prophet.”
The Süleymaniye Mosque has many kitabes, as Sinan mentioned in his
memoirs. Here the inscriptions were composed from selected verses, except for
the foundation one. Even this still contains some Qur’anic verses. Sinan tells
us that the most distinguished poets, calligraphers and inscribers of the time
prepared the chronograms and calligraphies for the Süleymaniye Mosque.36
Apart from these engraved inscriptions, there were also several other
chronograms for the Süleymaniye, but these were not inscribed on the building.
One of them reads:
34 Abdülkadir Özcan, “İdris-i Bitlisi”, DİA, vol. 21, pp. 485-488.
35 “This is a place of worship that belongs to the nation of a distinguished prophet.” See
Ayvansarayi Hüseyin Efendi, Ali Satı Efendi, Süleyman Besim Efendi, Hadikatu’l-
Cevâmi‘: İstanbul Camileri ve diğer Dini-Sivil Mimari Yapılar, ed. Ahmet Nezih
Galitekin, (İstanbul: İşaret, 2001), p. 54; Similiar inscriptions can be found on other
works by Sinan, for example the Şemsi Paşa Mosque in Istanbul: “Oh Ulvî! When the
invisible speaker sees he recites the chronogram. Let this place be the place of adoration
for the people of Beloved Muhammad! (988/1580)”, Aksu, ibid., pp. 69-70.
36 Mimar Sinan ve Tezkiretül Bünyan: by Suphi Saatçi; ed. Metin Sözen. (Istanbul: Film
Televizyon Video Mtv, 1989), p. 71.
Multi-Dimensional Functions of Ottoman Poetry
89
Kale .abdun .abidun li-tarýpihi
Ma.bedu lillah .Vescud vaktarib,(964/1557)37
“This is a place of worship for Allah. Prostrate yourself and be close to
your God!”
Obviously this chrongram is from a Quranic verse.
Yahya Bey (d. 1582) composed another chrongram for this building:
Sahib-i cümu.a şeh Sünný Süleyman-ı zaman
Cami.-i bala Te.alallah .aceb .alý bina (964/1557)38
“The owner of Jumu’ah, the shah, the Sunni Süleyman of the time [built]
a high and beautiful mosque.”
Here Sultan Süleyman is referring to the owner of the Jumu›ah prayer,
meaning the legitimate champion of the religion of Islam. Stressing the Islamic
role of the Sultan Süleyman, Necipoğlu writes, “Almost all the verses on the
Süleymaniye Mosque emphasize the straight path of the Sharia to be followed
by the orthodox believer and the ritual duties that distinguished the Sunni
Ottomans from Shiite Safavids. Safavids were called infidels in some fatwas
at that time. One of the reasons for this is that they disregarded communal
ritual duties and Friday prayers.”39 Suggesting King Solomon, Süleyman is
referred to as “Süleymån-ı zamån” (the Solomon of his time) in this couplet.
It is known that Sultan Süleyman renovated the wall around Jerusalem and
then intended to renovate the Dome of the Rock, to which frequent allusions
are made in passages of the Qur’an where Solomon is mentioned; this was
mentioned in his waqfiya and inscriptions on public foundations.40
Many poets recited chronograms for the Süleymaniye Mosque: Hüdayî,
Mekkî, Hamdî, Kandî, etc.
Hüdâyî (d. 1570)
Layık ol cami.a ola tarýp
Beyt-i Rahman ve ma.bed-i islam (964/1556-7)
37 The Qur’an, (96/19)
38 Ayvansarayi, ibid., pp. 56-57.
39 Necipoğlu, ibid., p. 110.
40 Necipoğlu, ibid., p. 101.
İslâm Araştırmaları Dergisi
90
“This mosque deserves the date this is the house of Rahman and prayer
place of Islam”.
Mekkî: (d. 1789)
Didi tarýpini anıñ Mekký
Haca cami.an Süleyman Pan (964/1556-7)41
“Mekkî spoke its chronogram: This is the mosque of Süleyman Khan”
The Poet Tiğî (d. 1608) inscribed his kitabe of the Selimiye Mosque in
Edirne in Turkish.42
Yazdı Týgý levp-i bab-ı Cennete tarýpini
Cami.-i şah Selým’ul-kalb imam-ı cemý.-i dýn (982/1574-75)43
“Tiğî wrote its date on the slab of the gate of the Paradise. [This is] the
mosque of Sultan [Selim] who has a soft heart and is the imam of all religions.”
As can be seen in the example of the Yahya Bey Mosque in Edirne, the
kitabes were not always short. For the completion of that building another
poet Mecdî (d. 1590) composed the following poem:
Sahib’ul-payr ya.ný Yahya Beg/Kıldı bu mescid-i şerýfi bina
Yaptı anınla dar-i apiretin/Kıldı cennetde kendüye meva
Didi tarýpini anıñ mecdi/Mescid-i pub ve mecma.-i a.la (985/6/1578)44
“The benefactor, namely Yahya Bey, constructed this sacred mosque. He
therewith built his dwelling in the hereafter and made himself an asylum in
Paradise. Mecdi has recited its chronogram: ‘a beautiful mosque, a lofty place
of assembly.”
41 Aksu, ibid., pp. 69-70.
42 Haluk İpekten et. al, ibid., p. 506.
43 Yakıt, ibid., p. 154.
44 F. T. Dijkema, ibid., p. 60.
Multi-Dimensional Functions of Ottoman Poetry
91
Fountains:
One of the most visible architectural monuments during the Ottoman Empire
was the fountain, as they could be found in every corner of the city in
different sizes.45 There were pavilions, often very elegant in appearance, at
the edge of the streets, where passers-by would be served with drinking water
free of charge.46 The kitabes on the fountains could be in Turkish, Arabic or
Persian, like those on other architectural structures. Kitabes on fountains were
mostly about water, which is likened to an elixir, or the Kawthar River in Paradise.
The verses most frequently found on fountains are: “Their greeting will
be: “Enter ye here in peace and security”.47 “A fountain there, called Salsabil,
upon them will be green garments of fine silk and heavy brocade, and they
will be adorned with bracelets of silver; and their Lord will give to them to
drink of a pure drink.“48 Poetical inscriptions on fountains generally contain
sets of words related to water and its power, such as “thirst”, “water”, “flow”,
“fountain”, “water of life (elixir)”, “spirit (can)”, “abundance” and the like.
For instance, Ruhî (d. 1605) recited a chronogram for both the mosque
and fountain of Abdülkadir-i Geylani in Baghdad:
İkisinüñ söyledi şevkle tarýpini
Cami.-i ehl-i du.a çeşme-i ab-ı hayat (995/1586-87)49
“He recited both of their chronograms: it is the mosque for the praying
people and the fountain of elixir.”
Another example, the Kanunî Fountain in Büyükçekmece, which was built
by Sinan, refers to the Kawthar River in Paradise:
Didi tarýpin anıñ ehl-i tarýp:
Yine akdı cihana ab-ı kevþer (974/1566)50
“The people of history recited its chronogram: The water of Kawthar flowed
to the universe once again.”
45 For the fountains in Istanbul, see İbrahim Hilmi Tanışık, İstanbul Çeşmeleri I, (Ankara:
Maarif Vekaleti, 1943).
46 Suraiya Faroqhi, Subjects of the Sultan: Culture and Daily Life in the Ottoman Empire,
(London: I.B. Tauris Publishers, 2000), p. 131.
47 The Qur’an, (15/46)
48 The Qur’an, (76/ 18, 21)
49 Aksu, ibid., p.72.
50 Yakıt, ibid., p.152.
İslâm Araştırmaları Dergisi
92
In a study on the Edirne monuments, F. T. Dijkema cites examples of Ottoman
monumental inscriptions that contain poetical details, such as meter. For
example, on the sebil of Hasan Çelebi there is a Turkish inscription in poetic
form, dating the completion of the sebil at 1588.
Sahibu’l-payr Hasan Çelebi ibn-i Mustafa
Payr içün itdi sebýli çün bina
Teşne-diller gelüben su içeler
İdeler aña du.a-yi .ayr-i ma
Didi tarýpin idüp hatif du.a
“Ve’l-.aynan fýha tusemma selsebýla” (996-7/1588)51
“Since the benefactor Hasan Çelebi, the son of Mustafa, has built the sebil
for the public good, let the thirsty of heart52 come and drink the water and
pray for some blessing upon him. An invisible voice prayed and recited its
chronogram ‘And indeed there is a fountain therein the name of which is
Salsabil.”53
Here the poet used a part of a Qur’anic verse to construct his chronogram.
Edirneli Nazmî also says:
‘Ali beg çeşmesi dil-cuy çeşme (951/1544)
“Ali bey fountain that is he art-captivating fountain!”
Hospitals:
In the Ottoman era, hospitals had a variety of titles, such as daruşşifa or
şifahane, or sometimes timarhane. Hospitals that had been established for the
mentally ill became to be known as timarhane. The kitabes of these buildings
contain words that include the words şifa (recovery), afiyet (health), tabib,
hekim, (doctor, physician), and the like. For example, on the main door of the
Haseki Darüşşifa in Istanbul the inscription reads:
51 F. T. Dijkema, The Ottoman Historical Monumental Inscriptions in Edirne, (Leiden: E.
J. Brill, 1977), p. 62.
52 The word dil has two meanings in here. It can also mean thirsty tongues. (VS).
53 The last hemistich is from the Qur’an, (76/18). The verse should read “A fountain there,
called, Salsabil”. Two letters ( and ) should be added to complete the date. (VS)
Multi-Dimensional Functions of Ottoman Poetry
93
Dar-ı şifa nafi.-i nas-ı cihan (957/1550)54
“This is the house of recovery which helps people of this world.”
On the main door of the Manisa Timarhane the inscription reads:
Sual olunsa itmam-ı binası
Didi tarýp “makam-ı ‘afiyetdür” (946/1539)55
“When the completion of the building was asked (he) recited its chronogram:
(This is the) place of health!”
It seems that the date of the completion of the building is mentioned by
referring to its function as the “place of health.”
Baths:
Another of the principal buildings found in most mosque complexes were
the public baths, called hamam. Bathhouses or hamams were either independent
structures or connected to the mosque complexes. They were public
places that were (and are) used not only for purposes of bathing but also for
socializing. These buildings were highly common and endowed with an annual
income to pro vide for their maintenance, using the same system as the
mosques. An Italian traveler in the sixteenth century, Luigi Bassano da Zara,
estimates that the mosques, baths and Greek churches in Istanbul and Galata
numbered in the thousands.56 The double baths (çifte hammam) had two
separate entries, one for men and the other for women.57
The inscriptions or chronograms on these buildings were concerned with
the purpose of the building, like health and cleanliness, or they gave the date
of building or the date of restoration. Upon the restoration of the Old Thermal
Resort in Bursa, the poet composed the following chronogram.
54 Yakıt, ibid., p. 147.
55 Yakıt, ibid., p. 144.
56 For a detailed description of the public baths in the sixteenth century, see the description
of the Italian traveler Bassano, Metin And, Istanbul in the 16th century, The City, The
Palace, Daily Life (Istanbul: Akbank, 1994), pp. 242-243.
57 Celal Esad Arseven, Türk Sanatı, (Istanbul: Marif Basımevi, 1970), pp. 100-101.
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94
Feyyaç-ı Cü’l-minenden erdi feyç-i ‘inayet
İtmamına dendi tarýp “kapluca oldı ta‘mýr” (917/1511)58
“A bounteous gift and help came from Allah, Who is the Most Gracious;
the chronogram is recited for its completion: The baths have been repaired.”
The Ayasofya Bath was another structure built by Sinan in Ayasofya
Square in 1555 under the patronage of Hürrem Sultan. In the beautifully composed
and engraved inscription, Hüdayî, the poet (d. 1570) likens the bath
and its water to the rivers and gardens in Paradise.
Eger görmek istersen ravça-i Firdevs-i Rıçvanı
Gelüb hammam-ı Sultana bul safa ile seyranı
Revan olmuş içine Selsebýl u Kevþer ırmagı
Þakahum Rabbuhum der içinde ol abla lisanı
Hüdayý girdi gördi bag-ı .Adniñ .aynıdır abı
Didi tarýp hammam-ı behişt-abad-ı sultaný (963/1555)59
“If you would like to see the garden of Paradise, you should come to the
bath of the Sultan and experience the happiness and the pleasurable trip there.
It is as if the rivers of Salsabil and Kawthar flow into it, its tongue recites
“saqahum rabbuhum” with the water. Hüdayî has gone in and seen that it
is a garden of Paradise.”
Bridges:
The Büyükçekmece Bridge, one of the greatest achievements of Sinan, is
built on the Büyükçekmece Lake. It consists of twenty-six spans and is one
mile in length, running from north to south. It began to be built during the
reign of Süleyman and was completed during the reign of Selim II. Hüdayî
composed the chronogram.
Haçret-i Süleyman kim aña /Şah-ı rah ola sırat-ı müstakým
Başladı bu payrı olmadın tamam/Kıldı ‘azm-i suy-ı cennatunna‘ým
Geldi anı zıll-ı Hak sultan Selým/Etti tekmýl oldu bu cisr-i ‘azým
58 Yakıt, ibid., p.138.
59 See Evliya Çelebi, IV: 380; İ. Aydın Yüksel, Osmanlı Mimarisinde Kanuni Sultan
Süleyman Devri, 1520-1566, vol. VI., (Istanbul, Istanbul Fetih Cemiyeti: 2004), p.
175.
Multi-Dimensional Functions of Ottoman Poetry
95
Dedi tarýpin Püdayý ol zaman/Yapdı ab üzre bu cisri şeh Selam
(966/1558)60
“Hazrat Suleyman, may the true path be his main road, initiated this deed,
but he passed to Paradise before it was finished. Sultan Selim – the shadow
of Allah came and completed this enormous bridge. Then, Hüdayi recited its
chronogram: Sultan Selim built this bridge on the water.”
The bridge of Mustafa Pasha was built on the Meriç River. As it was completed
at the time of its patron’s death the chronogram indicates the date of the
death of Mustafa Paşa as well. It is a poetical chronogram, written by Gazali,
who was also known as Deli Birader (d. 1535).61
Bildi merhum Mustafa Paşa
Köpridir filhakýka bu dünya
Yapdı bir köpri parc idüp varın
İde ta kim bu ma.naya ýma
Göçdi merhum didiler tarýp aña
Köpriden geçdi Mustafa Paşa (852/1448)62
“The late Mustafa Pasha understood that this world is a bridge indeed.
He built a bridge, spending all he had in order to give this meaning. He - the
deceased - passed away and some recited its chronogram: Mustafa Pasha has
crossed the bridge.”
Such a chronogram does more of course than just mark the death of Mustafa
Pasha or the completion of the bridge. It also reveals the mindset behind the
construction of the bridge. By building a bridge for the service of mankind, the
patron was thought to have successfully crossed the bridge to the next world.
In Islam it is believed that there is a bridge in the Hereafter which everyone
must cross to Paradise. It is thought that those who have performed sufficient
good deeds will have no problems passing over this bridge. In the inscription,
Deli Birader states that Mustafa Pasha has already crossed over the bridge.
As can be seen in many such monuments, in the sixteenth century Turkish
had increasingly become the dominant language in inscriptions.
60 Yakıt, ibid., p.149.
61 Ayvansarayi, ibid., p. 521.
62 Yakıt, ibid., p. 125.
İslâm Araştırmaları Dergisi
96
2. Pious Inscriptions:
Pious inscriptions may consist of verses quoted in whole or in part and
their arrangement is sufficient to indicate the theological or judicial implications
of the texts that are related to the context. For instance, a verse may be
concerned with worship or charitable deeds (sadaqah jariyah) if it is found
in a mosque; it may be about health if it is on a fountain; it may be about
death if it is at the entrance to a hospital or on tombs or gravestones. On certain
monuments repetition of formulae, such as “al mülk lillâh” “Dominion
belongs to God“, can be seen. Ultimately this means that there is some form
of devout reflection involved. Pious inscriptions can be examined in different
categories. One consists of quotations from the Qur’an, hadiths or proverbs.
Those can be found scattered in different places in mosques. On the domes of
classical Ottoman mosques verses that describe the heavenly realm were chosen.
One of them is: “It is Allah Who sustains the heavens and the earth, lest
they cease (to function): and if they should fail, there is none - not one – who
can sustain them thereafter: Verily He is Most Forbearing, Oft-Forgiving.“63
Doorways, for example, are inscribed with verses such as “When ye have
performed the prayers, celebrate Allah’s praises, standing, sitting down, or
lying down on your sides; but when ye are free from danger, establish regular
prayers: For such prayers are enjoined onbelievers at stated times. We see the
turning of thy face (for guidance) to the heavens: now shall We turn thee to
a Qibla that shall please thee. Turn then thy face in the direction of the Sacred
Mosque: Wherever ye are, turn your faces in that direction. The People of the
Book know well that that is the truth from their Lord. Nor is Allah unmindful
of what they do.“64 Another inscription may be ten verses from the 17th surah.
65 Most of the Ottoman mihrabs (pulpits) have standard verses including
“Right graciously did her Lord accept her: He made her grow in purity and
beauty: To the care of Zakariya was she assigned.. Every time that he entered
(her) chamber to see her, he found her supplied with sustenance. He said: “O
Mary! Whence (comes) this to you?” She said: “From Allah. For Allah provides
sustenance to whom He pleases without measure.“66 Pious texts may
be preferred for commemorative inscriptions. As was mentioned earlier, there
is no clear-cut division between these categories. Hence, pious inscriptions
can also act as commemorative inscriptions.
63 The Qur’an, (35/41)
64 The Qur’an, (4/103, 2/144)
65 The Qur’an, (17/ 91-111)
66 The Qur’an, (3/37)
Multi-Dimensional Functions of Ottoman Poetry
97
In the 16th century there was a greater use of pious inscriptions compared
to earlier times. Even the foundation inscription of the Süleymaniye Mosque
has quotations from the Qur’an. “It was customary to write inscriptions in
Arabic since Arabic is the language of Qur’an“, Çulpan says when explaining
why the inscriptions in the Süleymaniye Mosque were written in Arabic.
The foundation inscription is on the wall of main gate close to the fountain.
The text was prepared by the Sheikh-ul-Islam Ebussud Efendi and written by
Hasan Çelebi, the student of Ahmet Karahisari.
The text consists of three parts: left, middle and right. The right part is
the first one that mentions the mosque being built as a pious deed according
to the desire of Allah, and describes the features of Sultan Süleyman; the second
part mentions the genealogy of Sultan Süleyman, while the third part is
dedicated to prayers for all of his royal ancestors. After these, the date of the
mosque and the signature of Çelebi appear. In this part there are also some
quotes from Qur’anic verses.67 Other inscriptions are also from the Qur’an
and give different descriptions of Paradise, according to where they have been
put in the mosque. Thus, they not only provide basic religious reflections, but
also give detailed associations with the heavenly world. For example, one of
the main inscriptions in the Süleymaniye Mosque is inside the main dome.
According to Saî, Hasan Karahisari put the verse68 there so that it would stay
there forever.69 The dome of the mosque is associated with the sky,70 while
the gate entrances on the sides also carry inscriptions that depict these gates
as gates of Paradise and the şadırvan (fountain) as flowing with Kawthar.
The west gate, for example, contains a verse that says: “And those who feared
their Lord will be led to the Garden in crowds: until behold, they arrive there;
its gates will be opened. And its keepers will say: “Peace be upon you! Well
have you done! Enter you here, to dwell therein.“71 As has been mentioned
in several sources, in general the inscriptions in mosques, in particular the
Süleymaniye Mosque, describe Paradise.72 As with other arts, calligraphers
also try to imitate the ideal place, that is, Heaven.
67 The Qur’an, (55/76), (2/125) and (22/26). Cevdet Çulpan, Süleymaniye Kitabesi,
(Istanbul: Sümer Matbaası, 1966), p. 2.
68 The Qur’an, (35/41)
69 Saî, ibid., p. 71
70 Saî, ibid., p. 66.
71 The Qur’an, (39/73)
72 Saî, ibid., p. 66.
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98
3. Epitaphs
Epitaphs are inscriptions on gravestones or tombs. Tombs are often built to
commemorate the deceased person and are decorated with texts that tend to
have a religious content, such as verses or sayings of the Prophet that refer to
death or Paradise. The most frequently cited verse is “Every soul shall have a
taste of death: in the end to Us shall ye be brought back.”73 Inscriptions are
mainly intended to describe the significance of life and death for believers, and
rarely serve the purpose of chronograms for the structure itself. Before and
after Islam, Turks used various kinds of words for death while recording it. The
reason behid this is that in Islamic belief, death is not an end but a passage,
a journey or a new life for human beings. So, “pass away”, “fly away”, “take
wing”, “arrive at union” or “embarking on a journey” are some expression
that are used instead of the word “death”74. For example, inscriptions on the
tomb of Sultan Süleyman contain Qur’anic verses, the ninety-nine beautiful
names of Allah, as well as the names of Prophet Muhammad and the four
caliphs. One of the verses reads “And call not, besides Allah, any another
god. There is no god but He. Everything (that exists) will perish except His
own Face. To Him belongs the Command, and to Him will ye (all) be brought
back.”75 All of the verses cited here refer to belief in God and good deeds in the
world and death; these are seen to be valuable lessons for those living.
The tomb of Hürrem Sultan has a greater variety of literary texts. There
are various inscriptions carved on different places of her tomb. They include
verses, supplications, and several phrases of tawhid. One of the supplications
opens with the Ayat’al-Kursi and continues with Surah Al-i Imran.76
The inscriptions on the tomb of Şehzade Mehmed consist of four Persian
couplets which describe the finiteness of this world. “In the end, for the sake
of Qul Huvallahu ahad77 no one, neither elite nor common people, will be
immortal in this palace of world. The Shehzade (prince) who has pure faith
has passed from this world The Shehzade who has pure faith has passed from
this world. May Allah who is Hayy (Alive) and Samad (Unborn) have mercy
on him in eternal world. Thus he will sleep in tranquility and comfort in the
73 The Qur’an, 29/57.
74 Aziz Doğanay, “Tuhfe-i Hattâtîn’de Ebcedle Vefat Bildiren İfadeler (Ölüme Hayat Verme
Sanatı)”, Akademik Araştırmalar Dergisi, 34, (2007), pp. 139.
75 The Qur’an, (28/88).
76 The Qur’an, (3/18,19,26); Sülün, ibid., p. 372.
77 Say: He is Allah, the One (112/1).
Multi-Dimensional Functions of Ottoman Poetry
99
Hereafter.” On the tomb, there are also several other verses78 and a chronogram
that wishes the best for the sultan in the Hereafter.
Merkad-i Sultan Muhammed bad firdevs-i ebed (950/1543)
“May the place of Sultan Muhammed be the eternal Paradise".
In one of the 15th century poets Necati’s tomb there is
Bir seng-dil firakına ölen Necatýnüñ
Billahi mermerle yapasız mezarını79 (914/1508)
“For the sake of Allah, make the grave of Necati who died for the seperation
of hard-hearted (beloved) with marble.”
The tomb of the architect Sinan represents one of the richest examples of
different literary texts. Sinan, the master of architects, died in 1578 and his
tomb was built adjacent to the Süleymaniye complex. Saî, who helped Sinan
to write his autobiography, composed the long poem on the tomb. The poem
is basically Sinan’s biography; he had lived for more than a hundred years
and he built more than four hundred masjids, eighty mosques, aqueducts, and
buildings that were thought to resemble the buildings of Paradise. Thinking
that Sinan had done enough good deeds in the world Saî, supplicated Allah to
give Sinan a place in Paradise.
Saî inscribed the tomb as follows:
Ey iden bir iki gün dünya sarayında mekan
Cay-ı asayiş degüldür ademe mülk-i cihan
Pan Süleymana olup mi.mar bu merd-i güzýn
Yapdı bir cami. virir Firdevs-i a.ladan nişan
Emr-i şah ile kılup su yollarına ihtimam
78 There is no god but He, the Living, the Self-subsisting, Supporter of all. No slumber
can seize Him nor sleep. His are all things in the heavens and on earth. Who is thee
can intercede in His presence except as He permitteth? He knoweth what (appeareth
to His creatures as) before or after or behind them. Nor shall they compass aught of
His knowledge except as He willeth. His Throne doth extend over the heavens and the
earth, and He feeleth no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. For He is the Most
High, the Supreme (in glory) (The Qur’an, 2/255) Hakkı Önkal, Osmanlı Hanedan
Türbeleri, (Ankara: Kültür Bakanlığı, 1992), p. 140.
79 Yakıt, ibid., p.138.
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100
Pıçr olup ab-ı hayatı .aleme kıldı revan
Çekmece cisrine bir tak-ı mu.alla çekdi kim
.Aynıdır ayinede devranda şekl-i kehkeşan
Kıldı dörtyüzden ziyade mescid-i .alý bina
Yapdı seksan yerde cami. bu .azýz kardan
Yüzden artuk .ömr sürdü .akıbet kıldı vefat
Yatdugı yiri Püda kılsun anıñ bag-ı cinan
Rıpletinýñ Sa.ý-i da.ý didi tarýpini:
Geçdi bu demde cihandan pýr-i mi.maran Sinan
Ruhi içün fatiha ihsan ide pýr ü cevan (986/1578)80
“Oh, the one who has stayed in this world for couple days! The characteristic
of the universe is that it is not a place in which human beings feel
comfortable. This distinguished person was the architect of Süleyman Khan.
(He) built a mosque that contains indications from the Highest Paradise! By
the order of the king he gave importance to the water channels. (He) became
Khidr and caused the Water of Life to flow for the universe. He made a high
arch on the Çekmece Bridge that resembles the shape of the sky in this mirror
of the universe. He built more than four hundred high masjids. This az¢zkardan
made mosques in eighty places. He lived more than a hundred years
and then died. May God make a place for him in Paradise! Saî records the date
of his journey: Sinan, the architect, passed away from this world. May the
elderly and the young recite Surah al-Fatiha for his soul.”
Conclusion
Inscriptions, epigraphs and chronograms are poetical forms that are not
only artistic decorations but also function as historical documents, increasing
the esthetic value of the edifice. Apart from acting as decoration, the literary
texts that are carved on the inner and the outer surfaces of architectural
monuments have close connections with the function and the intention of the
building. They are like an identity card that provides information about the
history of the building in a short and highly esthetic way. One of the greatest
successes of the Ottomans was in the field of 16th-century architecture. Other
artists increased this success by adding decorative and literary arts, such as
calligraphy, poetry, engraving (nakış) and gilding (tezhip) to the surface of
80 Although the actual date is 986, the kitabe records the date as 996, Ayvansarayi, ibid.,
p. 265.
Multi-Dimensional Functions of Ottoman Poetry
101
the structure, thus adding esthetic and spiritual dimensions to the historical
aspect. Poetry made the relationship between the master and the artist visible.
The appearance of poems in many places during that century allows one
to see the multidimensional function and value of “poetry“, which was important
not only for the divans, but also had a significance in other branches of
the arts at the time.
Özet
Bu çalışma, divan şiirinin bilinenin dışında farklı bir özelliği olan edebî
sahanın dışındaki sanat alanında da kullanılışını vurgulamak üzere
hazırlanmıştır. Osmanlı edebiyatı ve divan şiiri, genelde kendi sınırları içinde
edebî ve estetik ölçütlerle değerlendirildiği halde Osmanlı şiirinin başka alanlara
da taşan ve onlara farklı yönelimler sağlayan fonksiyonları bulunduğu da bir
gerçektir. Siyasi başarının yanı sıra sanat, özellikle de mimaride büyük gelişme
kaydedilen XVI. yüzyılda şiir, divanların dışında başka sanat alanlarında da
yer alıyor ve edebî yönünden ayrı olarak tarihî, sanat tarihi ve kültür tarihi gibi
alanlara da ışık tutuyordu. Özellikle bizatihi kendisi bir sanat eseri olan mimarî
yapılar üzerine nakşedilen edebî yazılar, hem o sanat eserinin estetik özelliklerini
arttırıyor hem de yapıya ait bilgileri (yapılma tarihi, varsa tamir tarihi),
yapanı, yaptıranı, üzerine yazılan yazıların müellifini veya şairini, nakkaşını
ve onları eserlere yerleştiren sanatçıları anlatarak çok yönlü bir fonksiyonu
yerine getirmiş oluyordu. Tarih düşürmeler, kitabeler, mezar taşları, şiirin mimariyle
buluşma noktası olup Osmanlı şiirinin farklı fonksiyonlarını dile getiren
temel örneklerdir. Bu çalışmada, İslam sanatı alanı içindeki yazı geleneğinden
ve onun mimarî eserler üzerindeki etkisinden bahsedilmiş ve 16. yüzyılda
yapılmış mimarî eserler üzerindeki edebî numunelerden örnekler verilmiştir.
Bu çalışma mimarî ve divan şiirini birleştiren birkaç çalışmaya ilave ve aynı
zamanda farklı bir çerçevede ve daha şümullü yaklaşıma sahip bir katkıdır.
Bu çalışmayla birlikte divan şiirinin XVI. yüzyılda, yalnızca estetik kaygılarla
yazılan bir sanat dalı olmadığı, başka sanatlara açılım sağlayan ve sanatlar
arası gücü pekiştiren fonksiyonel bir yönü bulunduğu görülecektir.

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