Ottoman 1898 Land Deed Plot in Ankara Zir Istanos Title Armenian Citizens Armenia Matossian

Ottoman Land Deed Recording the Sale of a Field from Hacı Hafız Mehmed Efendi to Matosyan Matos Ağa – Saraycık Village, Ankara, 18 July 1898

Description:

This original Ottoman Turkish land deed documents the sale of an agricultural field in Saraycık Village, Zir Kazası (historically known as İstanos), Ankara. Dated 6 July 1314, corresponding to 18 July 1898, the deed records the transfer of a property located at a place known as Alıç Altında. The land is described as measuring 48 dönüm according to the old measurement system (atik), making this a particularly informative example of rural property transactions in the Ankara region during the late Ottoman period.

The deed provides detailed boundary descriptions: Şafak to the east and west, the Seğde road to the north, and a neighbouring field belonging to Kadı to the south. Such descriptions were essential for identifying agricultural properties and establishing their legal boundaries. The recorded value of the property is 100, as stated in the deed.

The original holder is identified as Hacı Hafız Mehmed Efendi, described as a subject of the Ottoman Empire and bearing the designation Ayaşlı Kapısız-zade. The new owner is recorded as Matosyan Matos Ağa (Matossian), also an Ottoman subject, residing in the Protestant quarter of İstanos. The document therefore records a property transaction between a Muslim Ottoman landholder and an Armenian Ottoman resident associated with the town’s Protestant community. It offers an interesting glimpse into the economic and social relationships between different communities in late nineteenth-century Ankara.

The deed also contains an important detail concerning the legal basis of the transfer: the property had been exclusively held and used by the original holder, and its ownership was confirmed through an official document in his possession before the transfer was completed. Official seals and revenue stamps appear on the document, while Armenian-language handwriting on the reverse adds another distinctive element to its historical character. This combination makes the deed particularly appealing to collectors interested in Ottoman land records, Armenian history in Ankara, and property transactions between Muslim and non-Muslim Ottoman subjects.

Key Features:

• Document Type: Ottoman agricultural land deed recording a property sale

• Original Holder / Seller: Hacı Hafız Mehmed Efendi, Ayaşlı Kapısız-zade

• New Owner / Buyer: Matosyan Matos Ağa (Matossian), an Ottoman subject residing in the Protestant quarter of İstanos

• Location: Saraycık Village, Zir Kazası (İstanos), Ankara, Ottoman Empire

• Property Location: Alıç Altında

• Date: 6 July 1314, corresponding to 18 July 1898

• Land Area: 48 dönüm (recorded according to the old measurement system, atik)

• Property Boundaries: Şafak to the east and west, Seğde road to the north, and Kadı’s field to the south

• Recorded Property Value: 100 (as stated in the deed)

• Transfer Details: Sale of a field from a Muslim Ottoman landholder to an Armenian Ottoman resident

• Legal Basis: Ownership confirmed through an official document held by the original proprietor before the transfer

• Additional Features: Official seals, revenue stamps, and Armenian-language handwriting on the reverse

• Historical Context: Ottoman land administration, Armenian history in Ankara, and economic relations between Muslim and non-Muslim communities

• Region: Ankara, Central Anatolia, Ottoman Empire