Koç University Manuscripts Collection

Collection Guide

Summary

Abstract

Koç University Manuscript Collection comprises a valuable source covering a variety of fields, including Turkish poetry, law, geography, astronomy, medicine, philosophy, logic, music, mathematics, and chemistry and especially in terms of language and cultural history studies. Sufism, especially Anatolian / Ottoman Sufism (Bayrami, Melami and Mevlevi paths), Turkish literature, Islamic morality and ethics, Islamic law, Quranic works, fatwas, hadiths also constitute the main contents of the manuscripts.

Collector / Donator Information

Fuat Bayramoğlu (1912-1996)

Şinasi Tekin (1933-2004)

Josephine Powell (1919-2007)

Mithat Sertoğlu (1991-1995)

Salim Erel (1929-2014)

Repository / Institution

Suna Kıraç Library Special Collections and Archives

Date Coverage

1100 – 1969

Format

Manuscripts in bindings

Language

Turkish (Ottoman), Arabic, Persian, Karamani, Crimean Tatar, Crimean Turkish

Acquisition Information

The Manuscripts Collection has been gradually acquired by donation since 1996 on different dates.

Access and Usage Rights

Access

Open for use for researchers.

Digital access

All the manuscripts in the collection are digitized and accessible through Suna Kıraç Library Digital Collections website.

Physical Access

All manuscripts in the collection can be viewed physically in Suna Kıraç Library Special Collections and Archives Room

Rights

Materials in this collection generally fall under the copyright of Koç University. These materials are publicly available for personal, educational use. Please contact the University Archives staff for permission for other uses at digitalresources@ku.edu.tr

Preferred Attribution

[Title of the item], [Identification of item]. Manuscripts Collection, Koç University Suna Kıraç Library, Special Collections and Archives. [Reference URL for digitized copies]

Scope and Contents of Collection

Consisting of 685 works in 342 volumes Koç University Manuscript Collection comprises a valuable source covering a variety of fields, including Turkish poetry, law, geography, astronomy, medicine, philosophy, logic, music, mathematics, and chemistry and especially in terms of language and cultural history studies. Sufism, especially Anatolian / Ottoman Sufism (Bayrami, Melami and Mevlevi paths), Turkish literature, Islamic morality and ethics, Islamic law, Quranic works, fatwas, hadiths also constitute the main contents of the manuscripts.

Manuscripts have originally written in different languages; 359 of these works are in Turkish, 286 of them are in Arabic, 27 of these works are in Persian and the rest 12 are bilingual works (majmuas) in Persian-Arabic, or Arabic-Turkish. Among these books, there are many works written by the authors themselves which can be considered as unique copies. Some of the manuscripts bear valuable contextual information on Anatolian Sufism and on the books, which they have reached through the family lines of their owners. Another characteristic group of materials is the works that are in the early Anatolian Turkish language and literature. Among the dated ones, the oldest manuscript in the collection is Mevlâna’s Celaleddin Rûmi’s “Mesnevî-i Ma’nevî” dates back to 735 / 1335 and as the latest dated manuscript, written in 1969, is İsmail Hakkı Bursalı’s “Şerhü’l-Usūli’l-Aşere” takes its place in the collection.

Filter Specifications

Subject

Date (Gregorian)

Language

Author

Calligrapher

Inventory

Manuscripts are preserved in acid-free archive boxes located at Suna Kıraç Library Special Collections and Archives Room.

Records of the manuscripts are also accessible through the library’s catalog.

Process Notes

Digitization

Original scanned with Zeutschel OS 12000C A2 scanner and saved as 300 ppi uncompressed tiffs. Display images are in jpeg format compressed by %80.