Haremlik
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In pre-Atatürk Turkey, a haremlik[1] was the private portion of upper-class Ottoman homes,[2][3] as opposed to the selamlik,[4] the public area or reception rooms, used only by men in traditional Islamic society. This contrasts with the common usage of harem as an English loan-word, which implies a female-only enclave or seraglio. Although the women of the household were traditionally secluded in the haremlik, both men and women of the immediate family lived and socialized there.
Popular culture
[edit]Ann Bridge's Enchanter's Nightshade[5] depicts Ottoman life in the period of Atatürk's rise to power, and makes clear the distinction in social usage in that period between the haremlik and selamlik.
See also
[edit]- Gynaeceum, women’s quarters of similar function in Ancient Greece
References
[edit]- ^ Turkish pronunciation: [haˈɾemlik], from Arabic ḥarīm ('harem') + -lik ('place')
- ^ "Haremlik". Archived from the original on 2011-12-24.
- ^ "harem". Wiktionary. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
- ^ "selamlik". Dictionary.com. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
- ^ Bridge, Ann (1937). Enchanter's Nightshade.
