Adana Civil Registry registry number 8 (h.1247-1249 / m.1832-1834-s.101-163) transcription and evaluation

This study focuses on the 8th Adana Şer'iyye Sicil, one of the key components of the Ottoman provincial administrative system, to explore the administrative, social, economic, and cultural structure of the Adana Province between the years 1832 and 1834 (Hijri 1247–1249). The Şer'iyye sicils, which were kept under the supervision of qadis, not only record judicial decisions but also provide primary information on daily life, economic activities, state-society relations, and the physical organization of cities. The examined records show that Adana was administered through the mütesellim system, and the city included many neighborhoods, inns, vineyards, professional guilds, and foundations (waqfs). The region, rich in agricultural production, was active in the trade of cotton, wheat, barley, and tobacco. During times of shortage in other regions or the capital, Adana supplied grain to these areas. The sicils also reflect the functioning of the narh system (price regulation), the mukataa (tax farming) structure, waqf institutions, and craft guilds that supported the local economy. Probate records (terekes) provide insight into the standard of living, consumption patterns, and socio-economic status of the people. Moreover, the names, titles, nicknames, and community identifiers in the sicil point to a multicultural social structure in Adana, where Muslims and non-Muslims coexisted and accessed the courts equally. Military conscription, transportation infrastructure, and road maintenance activities recorded in the sicil reveal the organizational capacity of the Ottoman state in the provinces. Thus, the 8th Adana Şer'iyye Sicil stands not only as a judicial register but also as a multilayered historical source that offers a comprehensive understanding of Adana's urban and social life in the early 19th century.