Bibliography of Anatolian Hans

The Seljuk Han of Anatolia

BIBLIOGRAPHY

This web site aims to bring you a wide variety of information on the Seljuk world, but much more is available. The following general, introductory bibliography includes a number of additional resources that you may wish to consult for further information. It contains the most significant works containing discussions on the Anatolian han, including the general historical context, structure, place in architectural development, decoration and construction. This annotated bibliography is not exhaustive, and does not contain the numerous Turkish-language texts which would be inaccessible to most readers linguistically and which are difficult to consult in libraries outside of Turkey. The list does not inventory theses which are currently being written on the subject, or general texts on Turkish or Islamic art (see Reidlmayer, below). Numerous articles relative to individual specific hans have appeared in scholarly journals, and are too detailed in nature to be appropriate for this general list. For information concerning a specific han, please refer to the bibliography at the end of its listing on the web page and also in the Erdmann text. In addition, there are many other online resources that you can explore from the links list.

Books are in English except otherwise noted. Only the major definitive texts in Turkish concerning hans have been listed.

Books and articles
Aksaray Turizm Envanteri 1994. [s.n.; s.d]
Despite an innocuous appearance, this small guidebook in Turkish lists and describes the hans of the region and is most helpful for fieldwork. It is available in Turkish tourist information offices in the region. (In Turkish).

Altun, Ara. An Outline of Turkish Architecture in the Middle Ages. Istanbul: Art and Archeology Publications, 1990.
A concise presentation of Turkish architecture up to the year 1300. Helpful for plans, its numerous black and white photographs and its rich bibliography. Contains an invaluable chronological chart of building types listed by date.

Aslanapa, O. Türk Sanati. Istanbul: 1972-3.
Broad discussion of all eras and types of Turkish architecture and minor arts. Excellent coverage and photos. (In Turkish)

Bayrak, M. Orhan. Türkiye Tarihi yerler kılavuzu. Istanbul: Inklap Kitabevi, 1994.
Excellent catalog-raisonné vademecum of monuments and historical sites in each region of Turkey. (In Turkish).

Bektaş, Cengiz. Selçuklu kervansarayları, korummaları ve kullanılmaları uzerine bir öneri = A proposal regarding the Seljuk caravanserais, their protection and use. Istanbul: Yapi-Endustrie Merkezi Yayınları, 1999.
A straight-forward, simple presentation of a selection of several hans, with many color photos and plans. The author discusses his plan for the restoration and reuse of these monuments. Includes an introduction with an interesting set of maps relative to trade and travel routes of antiquity to the present. (In Turkish and English).

Braudel, Fernand. The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World in the Age of Phillip II. Translated from the French by Sian Reynolds. New York: Harper & Row, 1972
This work, written by one of the most respected historians of the 20th century, is an outstanding for its scholarship and readability. Braudel's structuralist conception of time as plural - his theory of the "longue durée"- which states that both human and natural actions affect context, finds its perfect expression in this work. This celebrated study focuses on the 16th century, but Braudel steps back to the Greek period and ranges forward, giving a multi-level view of the region: the natural and material worlds, economics, demography, politics and diplomacy. Extremely helpful for understanding the commercial aspect of medieval oriental life, and all aspects of life around this "sea of crossroads and many voices".

Cahen, Claude. Pre-Ottoman Turkey: A general survey of the material and spiritual culture and history, c. 1071-1330. New York : Taplinger Publishing Company: 1968
This work, first published in French in 1968 by the famed French orientalist and professor of Islamic history at the Sorbonne, is considered to be the authoritative text on the period. It discusses history and the cultural, social and intellectual life of the Seljuk and Mongol periods. Contains maps, illustrations and an extensive bibliography of primary sources. A major historical text in the field of Islamic studies.

Erdmann, Kurt. Das Anatolische Karavansaray des 13. Jahrhunderts, I, II. Berlin: Verlag Gebr. Mann, 1961; III, Die Ornamentik, 1976.
A outstanding magnum opus of Islamic art history scholarship. Known primarily as a specialist in Turkish carpets, Erdmann turns his rigorous eye this time to architecture. It is a detailed catalog raisonné of the Anatolian hans, with each han analyzed following a systematic presentation of criteria, and divided by building type. He proposes the classification system, still valid today, based on the absence or presence of a courtyard. Although newer research is investigating other schemes, the typology of Erdmann is solid. Contains a bibliography for each han. His wife Hannah is responsible for the presentation and analysis of the decorative elements. (In German).

Erdmann, Kurt. Notizen sum inneranatolischen Karavansaray beobachtungen auf einer reise im Juli 1953. In Kunst des Orients II. Weisbaden: Franz Steiner Verlag, 1953, p. 5-29.

This article summarizes the two scouting trips take in July and in the autumn of 1953 by Erdmann and his wife. He visited 19 hans and includes a short entry for each one. The article is valuable for the old photographs it contains. It was the preliminary groundwork for his magnum opus above, and publishes for the first time his classification system for building types. (In German).

Ertuğ, Ahmet. The Seljuks: A Journey through Anatolian Architecture. Istanbul: Ahmet Ertuğ, 1991.
A visual treat for the eyes, this book is in folio format with a turquoise fabric slipcase and thick-bond ivory paper. This luxurious edition contains many drawings and photographs. The text is a more poetic approach to art and architecture than analytical, but is a valid presentation of the material. The translation into English from the Turkish stumbles at times.

Ettinghausen, Richard and Oleg Grabar. The Art and Architecture of Islam 650-1250. New York: Viking Penguin, 1987.

This introductory text to Islamic art is a classic. As it focuses on the genesis of Islamic art, it is a valuable resource for understanding the antecedents of the Seljuk tradition. The chapter discussing Anatolian art is comprehensive.

Gabriel, A. Monuments turcs d'Anatolie, I, II. Paris: Ed. De Boccard, 1931, 1934.
The explorations of the French art historian were made in the years 1927-1930. Still considered today as one of the primary resources for Turkish architecture. His stunning cavalier perspective drawings have become classics. Contains numerous photos, drawings, plans and a bibliography. (In French).

Guide bleu. Turquie. Paris: Hachette, 1961, 1965, 1969 and later.
This famous series of travel guides are unparalleled for their comprehensive listing of sites "worth the detour" and those not; the driving instructions are basically solid, but are no longer entirely reliable due to the rapid development of the Turkish road infrastructure over the past 25 years. The older editions often contain information concerning the existence of a han that is not noted elsewhere. The text cited is the 1965 edition. (In French; English editions available).

Hillenbrand, Robert. Islamic Architecture: Form, function and meaning. New York: Columbia University Press, 1994
Noted Islamic art scholar Hillenbrand presents a discussion of public architecture in the Middle East and North Africa from the medieval period to 1700. Included is a section on the han. Valuable for its cavalier drawings, plans and photographs.

Kafesoğlu, Ibrahim. A History of the Seljuks: Ibrahim Kafesoğlu's interpretation and the resulting controversy. Translated, edited, and with an introduction by Gary Leiser. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 1988.

This is a translation of the Kafesoğlu's article Selçuklular from the Islâm ansiklopedisi published in 1964. It has the advantage of providing a compact survey of Seljuk history and civilization with a Turkish interpretation. The "controversy" refers to the dispute this article caused between Kafesoğlu and the other leading Turkish historian, Osman Turan, who dueled back and forth for years on their respective versions of history.

Köprülü, Mehmed Fuad. The Seljuks of Anatolia: Their history and culture according to local Muslim sources. Translated and edited by Gary Leiser. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1992.
Discusses the important local primary texts, published and unpublished sources, chronicles, diplomatic documents, literary texts and lost chronicles written during the period.

Köprülü, Mehmed Fuad. Early Mystics in Turkish Literature. Translated by Gary Leiser and Robert Dankoff. London, New York: Routledge Press, 2006.

The first translation in English of this major work, originally published in 1966, is indeed a major event in Turkish studies. The book is one of the most important Turkish scholarly works of the 20th century, and is the masterpiece of M.F. Köprülü, one of Turkey's leading, and most prolific, intellectuals and scholars. Using a wide variety of Arabic, and especially Turkish and Persian sources, this book sheds light on the early development of Turkish literature, concentrating on mystical folk literature, through the lives of the poets Ahmad Yasaawi in Central Asia and Yunus Emre in Anatolia during the Middle Ages. Yunus Emre (1240-1320) was a major literary and cultural figure during the late Seljuk era.

Kuban, Doğan. Selçuklu Çağinda Anadolu Sanati. Istanbul: Yapi Kredi Yayinlari, 2002.

A high-quality (heavy paper, solid binding), lavish survey of Anatolian Seljuk art, with a predominance of architecture. Numerous prominent Turkish art historians have contributed articles to this general survey. Excellent color photographs, drawings and illustrations. An entire section is dedicated to hans (p. 227-250), with a detailed presentation of the Karatay Han by Prof. Can Binan. The section has numerous photographs and a map (unfortunately illegible for the most part) showing trade routes and han locations. (In Turkish).

Kuş, Ahmet, Ibrahim Dıvarcı and Feyzi Şimşek. Konya ve ilçelerindeki Selçuklu Eserleri. Konya: Selcuklu Belediyesi Kultur Yayinlari, 2004.

This exceptional work by three outstanding photographers presents high-quality color photographs of the major Seljuk monuments in the region of Konya, many of which have never been documented by photographs, especially the small, single-domed mescits. The photographers reside in Konya, where they are active in local endeavors dedicated to the preservation of the region's heritage and architectural patrimony. There is no text, as the photographs speak for themselves.

Lloyd, Seton. and D.S. Rice. Alanya. London: British Institute of Archaeology at Ankara (Occasional publications no. 4), 1958.
Contains a foreword by Sir Steven Runciman, who, in his inimitable style, poetically describes the walls and cliffs of this striking harbor as a "chess-board placed on its end." The authors discuss the general history of this Mediterranean port, and then dedicate their efforts to a presentation of the Seljuk monuments of the city, with exquisitely-rendered plans, elevations, cross-sections and site plans. Contains black and white photographs. A slim volume but an important one, as it correctly draws and presents the Alara Han for the first time.

Manz, Beatrice Forbes. The Rise and rule of Tamerlane. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989.
Although the subject of this book is a ruler who came after the Mongol invasions, Dr. Manz dedicates this work to a discussion of the "ulus", the important concept of the Turkish/Central Asian tribal confederation. This societal organization determined all functions of the Turkic peoples, including the Seljuks. She presents the administration, structure, functions, politics, military, succession and power of the ulus.

Oğel, S. Anatolian Seljuk Stone Ornamentation. Ankara: Turk Tarih Kurumu Print House, 1987. (in Turkish).

Redford, Scott. Landscape and the State in Medieval Anatolia. Oxford: Archaeopress, 2000.

A discussion of the Seljuk pleasure pavilions and gardens in the region of Alanya.

Rice, Tamara Talbot. The Seljuks in Asia Minor. London: Thames and Hudson, 1961.
Thorough and highly-readable presentation of the politics, social structure and arts of the Seljuks. Ms. Rice's work, although groundbreaking, is often riddled with inaccuracies. Excellent bibliography.

Riefstahl, R. Meyer. Turkish Architecture in southwestern Anatolia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1931.

Contains a thorough discussion of the Seljuk monuments of Antalya and Alanya, and the hans of the southern tier "Royal road": Evdir, Kirkgöz, Şarafsa and Susuz. Riefstahl is the man who put Alanya and Antalya on the “map” for Islamic art history. His research often reads as a travelogue, notably his charming description of arrival to Alanya via schooner. His work serves as a witness to the state of the monuments along the southern coast of Turkey before the arrival of the concrete building boom changed the horizon forever.

Runciman, Steven. History of the Crusades. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996. 3 volumes.
No discussion of this period or the inter-influence of the Crusades and the Seljuks is complete without this major work on the Crusades, first published in 1951. It is a classic for its scholarship, its interpretation from a non-western viewpoint, and the distinctive poetic prose style of Sir Runciman.

Sahinoğlu, Metin. Anadolu Seljuklu mimarisinde yazinin dekoratif eleman olarak kullanilisi. Istanbul: Turk Egitim Vakfi, 1977.
Discusses the application of calligraphy to architecture as a decorative element during the Anatolian Seljuk period. (In Turkish)

Saladin, H. “Monuments seldjoukides d’Arménie et d’Asie Mineure” in Manuel d’art musulman. I. Architecture. Paris, 1907. (In French).

A generalist discussion of Seljuk buildings in Armenia and Turkey.

Sarre, F. Reise in Kleinasien. Sommer 1895. Forschungen zur Seldjukischen Kunst und Geographie des Landes. Berlin: Georgraphische Verlagshandlung, 1896.
One of the first texts to list and discuss Anatolian hans, as well as to offer a classification typology. Sarre visited six hans (Goncali, Ak, Işakli, Eğridir, Obruk, Horuzlu and the Aksaray Sultan han.) He published here for the first time the inscription of the Incir Han. (In German).

Tanman, M. Baha. Alaeddın'ın lambası: Anadolu'da Selçuklu çaği sanatı ve Alaeddın Keykubad = Aladdin's lamp: Sultan Aladdin Keykubad and the art of the Anatolian Seljuks age. Istanbul: Yapi Kredi Kültür Sanat Yayıncılık, 2001.

M. Baha Tanman was the Curator-in-chief of this exhibition, held between October 3 to December 2001 at the Yapi Kredi Vedat Nedim Tör Museum in Istanbul. A graphically-appealing and colorful large-format book, it is most helpful for the numerous color photos of Seljuk metalwork and ceramics. (In Turkish and English).

Turan, Osman. Selçuklular Zamaninda Türkiye: Siyai Tarih Alp Arslan'dan Osman Gazi'ye (1071-1328). Istanbul: Boagazici Yayinlari, 2002.

First published in 1971, this definitive text on the history of the Seljuks is now in its 7th printing. It was written by one of the most exacting scholars Turkey has ever produced. (In Turkish).

Türk Dünyası Kültür Atlası: Selçuklu Dönemi = A Cultural Atlas of the Turkish World: The Seljuk Period. Istanbul: Turkish Culture Service Foundation, 1997. 2 vols.
This bilingual set is a lavish presentation of the Turkish world at the time of the Seljuks. Volume 1 contains a description of all the Turkish groups from the Great Seljuks through the Beyliks; volume 2 discusses their art and culture. There are numerous maps and color photographs, as well as beautifully laid-out photographs and stunning graphics. Unfortunately, pesky typographical mistakes and frequent substantial errors in the presentation mar the reliability of the material, but the set remains valuable for the comprehensive overview, photos and illustrations. There is a clear and well-presented map of han locations. (In Turkish and English).

Turks : a journey of a thousand years, 600-1600. Edited by David J. Roxburgh. London: Royal Academy of Arts; New York : distributed in the U.S. and Canada by Harry N. Abrams, 2005.

This magnificent catalogue accompanies the spectacular exhibition devoted to the artistic and cultural riches of the Turks, which was organized by the Royal Academy of Arts in London from January 22 to April 12, 2005. With contributions by numerous scholars and illustrated with over 370 works of art (mostly from the Topkapi Saray Musum and The Museum of Turkish and Islamic art in Istanbul), this book is a landmark publication. Chapter 3 covers the Seljuks and Artuqids of Medieval Anatolia, with a special section on the 14th c. paintings of Siyah Qalam.

Unal, Rahmi Huseyin. "A propos de la datation des khans seldjoukides sans cour en Anatolie" in Hillenbrand, Robert, ed. Art of the Saljuqs in Iran and Anatolia: Proceedings of a symposium held in Edinburgh in 1982. Costa Mesa, CA: Mazda Publishers, 1994
This chapter discusses the dating of covered hall hans. (In French).

Unsal, Behçet. Turkish Islamic architecture in Seljuk and Ottoman Times, 1071-1923. London, 1959.
A solid, general overview with a concise, straightforward discussion of hans, with numerous plans.

Wittek, Paul. The Rise of the Ottoman Empire. New York: B. Franklin, 1971
This work by the famed historian of the Seljuks contains lectures delivered at the University of London, May 4-6, 1937. Although it focuses on the beginnings of the Ottoman empire, it includes two chapters on the history of the Seljuks of Rum.

Yavuz, Ayşil Tükel. "The Concepts that Shape Anatolian Seljuq Caravanserais". In Muqarnas XIV: An Annual on the Visual Culture of the Islamic World, Gülru Necipoglu (ed). Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1997, p. 80-95.

Ms. Yavuz presents a solid argument for the rejection of Kurt Erdmann's classification system for hans, as she believes that using the courtyard for the deciding feature of typology is questionable. She proposes a different criteria based on the functional analysis of shelter, with a classification of "Shelter only hans" and "Hans with Shelter and services."

Some accessible primary sources:
Ibn Batuta. The Travels in Asia and Africa, 1325-54. Translated and selected by H.A.R. Gibb. New York: A.M. Kelley, 1969.
The Moroccan Ibn Batuta traveled in Turkey in the years 1330-1331 (or perhaps 1332-3) as part as his lifelong tour of the Islamic world in 1325-1354. Although his visit came after the Seljuk period, his "Rihla" (voyage) gives a fascinating glimpse into the Muslim world of the time. It is a comprehensive survey of the personalities, places, governments, customs and curiosities of the Muslim world in the second quarter of the 14th century. His exact itinerary in Anatolia is difficult to parse, but the tales of his visits to Alanya and Sinop, as well as his admiring description of the bazaar of Erzincan, make for fascinating reading.

Ibn Bibi. Saljuqname (13th c.)

Al-Husain ibn Muhammad al-Munshi al-Jafari er-Rugadi, aka Ibn Bibi, wrote a great Persian prose chronicle entitled "al-Awamir al-alaiyya" sometime in the 13th c. It describes the major events in Asia Minor and Cilicia for the period of 1192-1282. The original copy, held in the Istanbul Aya Sofia Library (no. 2985), has not been published. An abridgement of it, also in Persian, was completed by the author's brother, Amir Nasir al-Din Yahya. This abridgement was published by T. Houtsma as the 4th volume of the important corpus called Recueil des textes relatifs à l'histoire des Seldjoucides. Houtsma's copy, in Persian, is used by many historians as an almost unique source for the history of the Seljuks of Anatolia. The abridgement was made with great care and contains almost all the information of the original. A Turkish translation of Ibn Bibi was done by M. Nuri Gencosman (Anadolu Selçuki Devleti Tarihi, Ankara: Uzluk Basimevi, 1941), and another by Prof. Dr. Mürsel Öztürk in 1996 (El Evamirü'l-Ala'iye, Fi'l-Umuri'l-Alai'iye (Selçuk Name), Ankara: T.C. Kültür Bakanlığı).

Although the original was written in the highly ornate and embellished style of the times, and adopts a hagiographic tone concerning Alaeddin Keykubad, it is still considered fairly accurate. And yet it must be noted that Ibn Bibi's father did not arrive at the court in Konya until 1231, so Ibn Bibi's discussion of all events from 1192 to 1232 are based on here say and not direct witness.

Marco Polo. The Travels. Translated by R.E. Latham. Harmondsworth (GB), 1972.
Polo traveled through Turkey in 1272 on his journey to China (1271-1295) during the Mongol-early Beylik period. Although he does not speak of the Seljuks, his travelogue is interesting for the discussion of the daily life and occurrences of the period immediately following. His comments on the "beautiful rugs seen in Konya" have proven invaluable for oriental carpet scholars.

Comnena, Anna. The Alexiad. Translated from the Greek by E.R.A. Sewter. Baltimore: Penguin Books, 1969.
Anna Comnena is considered the world's first female historian and a major source of information about the reign of her father, Alexius I. Her works are full of details about daily life at court, the deeds of her family, the exchanges between the Byzantines, the western crusaders during the First Crusade, as well as details on the reign of Suleyman ibn Kutulmuş and Kılıç Arslan I.

Web pages of interest:

ArchNet. Internet web document.

http://archnet.org/lobby.tcl

ArchNet is an international online community for architects, planners, urban designers, landscape architects, conservationists and scholars, with a focus on Muslim cultures and civilisations. It comprises an important database of photographs and documents.

Reidlmayer, Andras J. "Basic reference tools in Islamic Art and Architecture". Internet web document.

http://hcl.harvard.edu/research/guides/iaa/

This thorough guide, compiled by bibliographer Reidlmayer of the Harvard Fine Arts Library, presents a selection of the most useful reference tools for the study of art and architecture of the Islamic world. It is divided into two sections, the first organized by broad subject or artistic medium; the second by geographic or cultural region. An outstanding piece of bibliographic work.

The Museum of Architecture. "The Virtual Museum of Architecture". Internet web document.

http://www.archmuseum.org

This site was created by the Turkish Building and Information Centre. It is the first step to what the founders hope will be the creation of a Turkish Museum of Architecture. This online resource consists of a comprehensive selection of the available documents illustrating the Turkish and global architectural heritage. It includes articles, profiles of leading architects, book reviews, listings of museums, exhibits, and research institutes, as well as an image base of selected buildings. Although it deals essentially with the Ottoman and early Republican periods, this visually appealing site is an outstanding works-in-progress resource.

The Old World Trade Routes (OWTRAD) Project. Internet web document.

http://www.ciolek.com/OWTRAD/caravanserais-catalogue-00.html

This site, prepared by Dr. Matthew Ciolek of the Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, at the Australian National University at Canberra, provides a catalogue of georeferenced caravanserais and khans. It provides geographical coordinates and other detals for some 875 data points from the OWTRAD project, which seeks to inventory and document caravanserais/khans, funduks and other built facilities (bedestans/qaysariyyas, bridges, forts, lighthouses/beacons, markets/bazaars, hospices, etc.) built to support long-distance communication routes.

The Silk Road Society. Internet web document.

http://www.travelthesilkroad.org

This site is dedicated to the famous Silk Road, which linked Imperial China to Imperial Rome. The Society, led by Nick Rowan, seeks to raise awareness about the areas through which the Silk Roads traversed. It provides much insight into its history, and provides a forum for discussion on a range topics related to the Silk Road, from travel and photography to charity work and academic research.