Ottoman Identity Document 1921 Niğde Greek Rum Citizen Greece with photo

Ottoman Identity Document (Tezkire-i Osmaniye) – Arzuman Kethüdaoğlu's wife Sokula, Niğde (1921)

Description:
An Ottoman identity document issued to Arzuman Kethüdaoğlu's wife Sokula, daughter of Yorgi and Vesniya, belonging to the Greek (Rum) community of the late Ottoman Empire. The document dates to 1921, a period marking the final years of Ottoman administration. It bears official seals, fiscal stamps, and most notably, an attached photograph a rare feature for Tezkires, as photographic identity inclusion only became common toward the very end of the Ottoman era.

The Tezkire-i Osmaniye served as an official identity certificate, detailing personal data such as name, lineage, place of birth, religion, and physical traits. In daily Ottoman life, it was often referred to as “kafa kağıdı” (“head paper”), a nickname derived from the practice of folding the document and carrying it in the inner pocket of a fez. During inspections, officers would say “Kafa kağıdını çıkar!” (“Take out your head paper!”). This custom made the Tezkire both a bureaucratic tool and a cultural artifact reflecting the identity controls and everyday practices of Ottoman society.

This particular document lists Sokula’s birthplace as Arvan Village (Niğde), with his year of birth recorded as 1305 (1889). His religion (millet) is marked as Christian, confirming his Greek Orthodox background. The document also records that he was married to Sokula, whose photograph appears on the Tezkire a remarkable survival from an era when few such images were officially affixed. His residence is written as Niğde, Arvan Village, House No. 12.

This document holds exceptional historical and ethnographic value, as it provides direct evidence of the Greek Orthodox (Rum) presence in Niğde shortly before the population exchange between Greece and Turkey (1923).

Key Features:

• Document Type: Tezkire-i Osmaniye (Ottoman Identity Certificate)

• Holder: Arzuman Kethüda's wife Sokula (daughterof Kethüda Yorgi and Vesniya)
  

• Birthplace and Year: Arvan Village (Niğde), 1305 (1889)

• Religion (Millet): Christian (Greek Orthodox)

• Marital Status: Married

• Residence: Niğde, Arvan Village, House No. 12

• Date of Issue: 1921

• Material: Paper with official Ottoman seals, stamps, and photograph

• Condition: Moderate – some staining and paper wear present

• Historical Significance:

  • Rare photographed Ottoman identity document, transitional between the Ottoman and early Republican systems.

  • Provides documentary evidence of the Greek Orthodox (Rum) population in central Anatolia prior to the 1923 population exchange.

  • The mention of “Kethüda” (a steward or trusted aide to a notable household) adds insight into local social hierarchies of late Ottoman provincial life.

  • A tangible record of intercommunal diversity and identity documentation practices in the empire’s closing years.