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Haremlik

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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.

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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

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  • Gynaeceum, women’s quarters of similar function in Ancient Greece

References

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  1. ^ Turkish pronunciation: [haˈɾemlik], from Arabic ḥarīm ('harem') + -lik ('place')
  2. ^ "Haremlik". Archived from the original on 2011-12-24.
  3. ^ "harem". Wiktionary. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  4. ^ "selamlik". Dictionary.com. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  5. ^ Bridge, Ann (1937). Enchanter's Nightshade.