The modernization of fragrance in the Ottoman Empire

Scent is a culture that has existed since the ancient times of humanity. In ancient times, Egyptian and other Mesopotamian communities used scent as incense for religious rituals, while in the Middle Ages European communities preferred it to mask bad odors. In the New Age, the Ottoman and Islamic states incorporated scent into daily life for cleaning and worship. Although the use of scent by such diverse societies always existed for the same purposes, the Ottoman use of scent built a culture in itself. Fragrance was embodied in almost every aspect of life, from cooking to cleaning, from cosmetics to health. It is possible to see in archival records that the Ottomans showed the same sensitivity to the use of fragrance as they did to cleanliness for a healthy and peaceful life. Based on the example of Istanbul, this study examines both the transformation of fragrance into a cultural element and its change in the 19th century. In order to determine the changing aspects of the fragrance culture, its formation phase is also examined in detail. In the 19th century, the free trade agreements signed with Europe initiated a new process in fragrance culture. The changing perception of consumption with modernization brought about diversity in shopping, a consumption-oriented society and a middle class/civil servant. The streets of Beyoğlu, dominated by municipalism and a European lifestyle, stand out as the places where the sale of fragrances is most common due to its position as the center of the consumer society. The fragrances mentioned in our study. While writing about the history of scent and its place in the Ottoman Empire, the study examines Islam and Turkishness, and focuses on the reasons for traditions and customs, taking into account the ethnic origins of the Ottoman Empire.The first part of the study deals with these issues and the change after modernization.In the second part, which is the development, the places of scent production in the Ottoman Empire, the sale of scented products, advertisements related to scent in the Ottoman press and the professionals related to scent are studied.The last part, the third part, deals with the uses of fragrance.