Exploring Cevher-nāme: Publications and Studies on Gemology in the First Century of the Republic of Türkiye
Sibel MuradSince ancient times, humanity has been fascinated by precious stones, referred to as “ore,” due to their diverse characteristics. These ores, utilized for various purposes across different climates and cultures, are categorized as precious, semiprecious, or worthless based on their properties. They hold significance in numerous cultures and epochs, serving as symbols of beauty, wealth, and power. Additionally, they are esteemed for their perceived healing properties. Cevher-nāmes, comprehensive texts delving into the “science of gemstones,” cover a wide array of topics including the physical attributes of precious stones, their geographical origins, applications, benefits, and drawbacks. These texts have enjoyed popularity across different historical periods and cultures. This article discusses Turkish publications and translations of copyrighted cevher-nāmes up to the present day. In the section titled “On Cevher-nāme Publications in the Republican Era,” it explores individual cevher-nāmes and related studies from the Republican era, assessing the handling of the cevher-nāme genre in contemporary research by comparing and contrasting various aspects of existing studies. Furthermore, thematic studies examining the discovery, processing, and utilization of ores in realms such as medicine, literature, folklore, and historical contexts are scrutinized under the section titled “Thematic Studies on Ore and Cevher-nāmes.” The conclusion and evaluation sections appraise current research endeavors, presenting an overview of the distribution of mentioned cevher-nāmes and associated studies according to subject matter, and offer suggestions for future investigations in the field of cevher-nāmes.
Cumhuriyet’in İlk Yüzyılında Cevher-nâme Neşirleri ve Yayınları Üzerine
Sibel Murad“Cevher” olarak adlandırılan değerli taşlar, çeşitli özelliklerinden dolayı eski çağlardan beri insanlığın ilgisini çekmiştir. Her iklim ve kültürde benzer veya farklı özellikleriyle çeşitli amaçlar için kullanılan cevherler, değerli, yarı değerli ve değersiz olarak sınıflandırılır. Cevherlerin farklı kültürlerde ve zamanlarda insanlar için önemli olmalarının nedeni; güzellik, zenginlik ve güç simgesi olarak görülmeleridir. Bunlar dışında onları önemli kılan diğer bir özellikleri de cevherlerin şifa kaynağı olarak görülmesidir. Değerli taşların fiziksel özellikleri, bulundukları yerler, kullanım alanları, fayda ve zararları gibi birçok konuyla ilgilenen “cevâhir ilmi” hakkında ayrıntılı bilgiler veren cevher-nâmeler, farklı çağlarda ve kültürlerde rağbet gören eserlerden olmuştur. Bu makalede telif ve tercüme cevher-nâmelerin günümüze kadar olan Türkçe neşirlerinden ve çalışmalarından bahsedilecektir. “Cumhuriyet Dönemi Cevher-nâme Yayınları Üzerine” başlıklı bölümde müstakil cevher-nâmeler ve bunlarla ilgili Cumhuriyet döneminde yapılan çalışmalar ele alınacaktır. Mevcut çalışmaların muhteva bakımından farklı veya benzer yönleri ortaya konularak günümüze kadar uzanan süreçte cevher-nâme türünün çalışmalarda ele alınış biçimi değerlendirilecektir. “Cevherler ve Cevher-nâmeler Üzerine Tematik Çalışmalar” başlığı altında tıp-halk hekimliği, edebiyat, halk inanışları ve tarihi dönemlerde cevherlerin bulunuşu, işlenişi ve kullanım alanlarıyla ilgili yapılan çalışmalar incelenmiştir. Sonuç ve değerlendirmeler bölümünde ise yazıda bahsi geçen cevhernâmeler ve bunlar üzerine yapılan çalışmaların konu bakımdan dağılımı verilerek bugüne kadarki mevcut çalışmalar değerlendirilecek ve cevher-nâmelerle ilgili bundan sonra yapılacak çalışmalar için birtakım önerilerde bulunulacaktır.
Precious stones, mines and minerals, collectively referred to as “ore,” have captivated humanity since ancient times due to their diverse properties. Used for various purposes across different climates and cultures, ores are categorized as precious, semiprecious, or worthless based on their unique attributes. One significant reason for their importance across different cultures and epochs is their perceived healing capabilities. These healing properties are sometimes harnessed through traditional medicinal practices, either independently or in combination with other remedies, as well as through their believed mystical powers. Historical medical texts often mention stones, classified as precious, semiprecious, or worthless, being utilized in the treatment of various ailments due to their healing properties. Cevher-nāme, detailed accounts exploring the properties of ores, particularly precious stones, have been esteemed works across various historical periods and cultures.
This article discusses copyrighted or translated cevher-nāme publications and works written in Turkish to date, primarily focusing on those concerning precious and semiprecious stones. By analyzing existing studies, this article examines how the cevher-nāme genre has been approached over time and offers suggestions for future research in this area.
Within the study, a section titled “On the Publications of Cevher-nāmes in the Republican Period” delves into independent cevher-nāme and mentions publications brought into Turkish through compilation or translation. This section highlights a total of 17 cevher-nāmes, with 6 of them being copyrighted. While some of these cevher-nāmes are directly translated, others were influenced by renowned cevher-nāmes preceding them, drawing upon the information contained within. Some works specify the cevher-nāmes and sources they utilized, whereas in others, renowned cevher-nāmes or their authors are referenced in information transfers. Out of the seven cevher-nāmes introduced as translations, only one originates from an Arabic source, with the remaining translations derived from Persian works. During the translation process, certain translators omitted extraneous information deemed irrelevant to their contemporary context, while others supplemented their translations with personal experiences and knowledge. Four works of this nature can categorized as copyright-translation. Our study provides details concerning the author/translator, date of writing/translation, editions, content, and associated studies for each cevher-nāme. Among these 17 cevher-nāmes, a total of 8 books, 12 articles, and 25 studies, comprising 1 undergraduate, 3 master’s, and 1 doctoral theses, were identified during the Republic period.
In the second section of the study titled “Thematic Studies on Ores and Cevher-nāmes,” thematic investigations regarding ores are addressed. Under the category of other studies, a total of 35 inquiries spanning the fields of medicine-folk medicine, literature, folklore, and history are outlined. Among these, two studies provide general insights into cevher-nāmes. Five studies, discussed within the medicine-folk medicine category, offer insights into the medical benefits of ores. These inquiries are founded upon ores or sections within texts mentioning ores concerning their medical advantages and drawbacks.
Most investigations concerning precious stones are situated within the domain of classical literature. Our article encompasses a total of 16 studies in this area. Predominantly, these works focus on precious stones utilized within a century of classical literature or within a poet’s divan. Among these, ten studies delve into the subject, including two master’s theses, six articles, and two papers. Additionally, two articles explore poems wherein precious stones serve as elements of rhyme and meter, three articles concentrate on a single stone, and one article discusses precious stones in the context of jewelry and accessories. The two inquiries examined under this category, comprising one master’s thesis and one article, explore the treatment of ores within ancient Turkish language texts and Chagatai period Turkish literature. The scarcity of investigations on this topic may be attributed to the fact that copyrighted or translated cevhernāme publications predominantly feature sections focusing on linguistic analysis.
Studies within the folklore domain, associated with folk culture and beliefs, typically center on semiprecious or worthless stones rather than precious ones. However, there are references to stones such as “yada stone,” revered for cultural reasons or believed to possess magical properties. Given the abundance of studies in this area, we mention one book and one article under this category, while additional studies on the subject are cited in footnotes.