Ottoman period seals in İzmir Museum

The seal is a tool that has been used throughout the whole of human history. Seals have distinct significance in Ottoman culture, serving as a clear emblem of the authority and possession of the Ottoman Sultans. From the sultan and his state officials to common individuals, seals were employed extensively. Those who practised the seal art during the Ottoman period were called engravers. Engraving is an important branch of a difficult and prestigious professional group, including art forms like jewellery, writing, and decoration. In this study, seals from the Ottoman period, which are still in the İzmir Museum, and seals from the Republican period were examined for comparison It has been determined that the Ottoman Period seals belonged to the 19th, and 20th centuries while the Republic Period seals belonged in the early 21st century. The oldest seal sample examined in the catalogue section belongs to the 28th sultan of the Ottoman Empire while these are personal seals dated 1220 Hijri (Gregorian 1805 – 1806) from the III. Selim period, it has been determined that the closest seal example today is the corporate seal dated 1938, the year of the death of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the Founder of the Republic of Türkiye. The seals' usage area, writing types, forms, and decorations, as well as their reading, dating, and classification have been scientifically analysed, described, and documented in all aspects. In the evaluation, comparison, and conclusion sections, the aim is to present a scientific study by examining all aspects of the seals from the Ottoman period and the Republican period and comparing them with similar examples.