Ottoman Calendar for 1740/41

Scientific Essay from the year 2017 in the subject Orientalism / Sinology - Islamic Studies, , language: English, abstract: Calendars were in pre-modern time anything but a simple enumeration of dates.I n those times even the general public were more aware of the connection of date- and timekeeping with the skies than today. A calendar or better an almanac had therefore always to include astronomical data, which were particularly important because of the general belief in astrology, which further led to predict meteorological phenomena and auspicious or inauspicious days. Of course religious feasts and their roots in history - also more important than today - had their place in almanacs as well. Almanacs were quite common in the Ottoman Empire, and even more elaborate than in the West due to the region's multi-ethnic and multi-religious traditions and the duty of Muslims to perform daily prayers at certain times. As compendia of popular tradition, science and beliefs they deserve a closer study by historians and anthropologists. As they are not quite easy to read and understand today they need some explanation. I shall present and analyze here an Ottoman almanac or takvim for 1740/41. In 2007 a detailed study about a later Ottoman almanac (1824/25), including a complete translation, has been published by Marlene Kurz. My article is meant to complement her research by a check of astronomical data in an earlier takvim , a detailed evaluation of the methods to define Islamic calendar dates, a closer look at the sometimes bewildering holiday section and a check of the system of astrological advice - or the absence of it - included in both almanacs.