Tarih Tetkikleri Dergisi

A New Kurgan in the Steppe: Chinge-Tey West Kurgan 1

Mazhar Narşap — 2025-06-30

Geography is the first factor in the formation of societies' lifestyles. Societies living in areas suitable for agriculture have adopted the settled life style; those living in forests have adopted the hunter and gatherer life style. Societies living in geographies favourable to animal husbandry have revealed the nomadic lifestyle. Steppe societies living in Eurasia, which is an area suitable for animal husbandry, adopted a nomadic lifestyle and formed their culture in accordance with this lifestyle. Nomadic lifestyle is different from nomadic lifestyle and is not an ordinary life. It is a systematic migration movement to the highlands in the summer months and to the winter pastures in the winter months in order to prevent both themselves and their animals from being adversely affected by the climatic conditions of the geography where they live at certain times of the year. Nomadic tribes have also created their own history and culture within this nomadic lifestyle. Information on the history and culture of these tribes can be obtained from written, oral and archaeological sources. Oral sources carry the traces of that period since they were written down in the following process. Written sources belong mostly to the tribes they were in contact with. The main information about the steppe tribes is obtained from archaeological sources. At the beginning of the archaeological sources is the kurgan made in the form of a masonry hill grave where the steppe people were buried. There are many kurgan sites belonging to the steppe people in Eurasia. One of the areas where these kurgans are located is the Turan-Uyuk valley in Tuva. This valley is a region used by steppe tribes as a wintering ground. There are kurgans of various sizes here. One of these kurgans is Chinge-Tey West Kurgan 1. The remains such as arrow sticks, arrowheads, knives, mirrors, combs, make-up materials, headdress decorations unearthed as a result of archaeological excavations in this kurgan provided information about the cultural life of the steppe tribes.

Environmental Stress Factors Under The Egypt Finances In The Last Quarter Of The Eighteenth Century

Osman Onur Genç — 2025-06-30

Climate plays a crucial role in sustaining Egypt’s agricultural economy, which was essential for fulfilling financial obligations to Istanbul, including planting, taxation, and monetary transactions. However, during the late eighteenth century, various institutions, particularly the Egyptian financial system, experienced severe disruptions. The state's inability to effectively govern the province, its failure to remit taxes, and the disruption of agricultural activities led to a breakdown in social cohesion. Consequently, the disintegration of the Ottoman Porte’s political, economic, and military organization in Egypt ensued. While historians have traditionally analyzed economic, military, and political transformations through archival records and chronicles, the fundamental influence of climate on these changes remains largely underexplored.

This study investigates the impact of environmental stressors such as climate variability, geographical challenges, epidemics, rebellions, and wars on Egypt’s financial collapse during the late eighteenth century. By utilizing primary sources, including the Ottoman Archives of the Republic of Turkey (BOA), contemporary chronicles, and French reports on the Nile River, this research integrates dendrochronological data for comparative analysis. The correlation between climate variability, economic instability, and political conflicts underscores the critical role of climate history in understanding the complexities of late eighteenth century Egypt.

Tipu Sultan’s Tiger: A Historical Example of Symbolism Against British Colonialism in India

Onur Şahna — 2025-06-30

As is known, the exploitation of India made England a superpower in financial terms. During the latter half of the 18th century, the chief obstacle encountered by England, which largely eliminated France in the colonial race over India, was the Kingdom of Mysore ruled by Tipu Sultan. In the nearly half-century-long struggle between England and Mysore, all kinds of psychological warfare elements were used by both powers. The most prominent object of this psychological warfare is the automaton known as “Tipu Sultan's Tiger”. In this study, the automaton in question is examined in terms of being a symbolic example of resistance to British colonialism.

Medical Missionary in Jerusalem and Its Surroundings in the Last Years of the Ottoman State

Ali Tomalı — 2025-06-30

The progress and method of the missionary perspective has been subject to variation in accordance with prevailing social and historical conditions. The pivotal junctures in this evolution have been shaped by factors such as encounters with diverse cultural contexts, the nature of political relations, and the influence of modernism and religious proselytising. Furthermore, the social structures of the masses to which the missionaries addressed have been quite decisive in determining their areas of activity. It is at this juncture that the phenomenon of medical missionary activities emerged as a discrete discipline, integrated into the broader missionary endeavours. Jerusalem and its environs, with their multilingual, religious and ethnic demographics, offered a conducive environment for medical missionary activities. This intensification of medical missionary activities in Jerusalem and its environs was particularly pronounced in the 19th century, as various states engaged in missionary endeavours sought to establish a competitive dynamic and sphere of influence in the city. The present study focuses on the activities of medical mission organisations operating in Jerusalem and its environs during the final years of the Ottoman Empire. In terms of both the scope of the study and the activity indicators, the focus was exclusively on the activities of the American Board, British and German mission organisations. The study was conducted utilising a range of sources, including local and foreign materials, as well as Ottoman archive documents and reports. In addition, in order to understand the geography in which medical missionaries worked, information was given about the development processes and characteristics of medical missionaries, and then the administrative and sanitary structure of the Palestinian region was emphasised.

Keywords: Jerusalem, Palestine, Medical Missionary, Health, Ottoman State.

From Darülfünun to Istanbul University: Reform, Modernization, and the Role of the Malche Report and German Academics

Elif Koç — 2025-06-30

In 1931, Swiss Pedagogy Professor Albert Malche from the University of Geneva was invited to Türkiye and prepared a report for the reconstruction of Darülfünun. Based on this report, presented to the government and Atatürk on May 29, 1932, the Istanbul Darülfünun was closed, and Istanbul University was established in its place. In 1933, with Adolf Hitler coming to power in Germany and purging academics for racial and political reasons, and at the same time, Türkiye aiming to invite foreign professors to the country, this period shaped Türkiye’s university reform process. For this reason, German or German-speaking scholars were particularly prominent in the invitation of foreign professors to the country.
The examination of the historical development process of Darülfünun is crucial for comprehending the impacts and transformations of educational reform movements. Therefore in this study, first, a historical background is provided by examining the stages Darülfünun underwent until the establishment of the Republic. Then, the need for a university reform, why German professors’ support was sought during the reform process, and specifically the contributions of German academics to education and to our country, particularly within the context of the Malche Report, are discussed. Within this framework, the success of the university reform is debated. The sources for this study include archival materials, reports, periodicals, related articles, and books.