Ottoman Tax Receipt 1913 Armenian Merchant Pickle Shop İstanbul Aksaray Armenia
Ottoman Tax Receipt (Maliye Tahsîl Şubelerine Teslim Edilen Mebaliğe Mahsus Makbuz Senedi) Istanbul - Aksaray, 1329 (1913)
Description:
An original Ottoman Tax Receipt dated 1329 (1913), issued to Turşucu Matyos, an Armenian merchant operating a pickle shop (turşucu dükkânı) located in Beyazıd Ağa Mahallesi, Aksaray, No. 48, Istanbul. This document acknowledges a tax payment of 522 kuruş, bearing the official signatures of the officer and assistant, as well as an Ottoman fiscal stamp.
The receipt provides a fascinating glimpse into the commercial life of late Ottoman Istanbul, particularly in the Aksaray district, which was part of the historic Fatih quarter. During the late Ottoman period, Aksaray and its surrounding area near Yenikapı Port played a crucial role in the city’s import and export activities. The district hosted quarantine and customs offices, and the state encouraged Armenian, Greek, and Jewish merchants to settle there, fostering a thriving multicultural commercial zone.
This document, issued to an Armenian shopkeeper, serves as both an economic artifact and a cultural witness to Istanbul’s diverse and dynamic social fabric in the early 20th century. It reflects the integration of non-Muslim citizens into the Ottoman financial and urban life, as well as the structured fiscal administration of the period.
Key Features:
- Date: 1329 (1913)
- Origin: Istanbul, Beyazıd Ağa Mahallesi, Aksaray, Shop No. 48
- Language: Ottoman Turkish
- Taxpayer: Turşucu Matyos (Armenian merchant)
- Amount paid: 522 kuruş
- Document type: Treasury receipt for funds delivered to fiscal offices
- Includes official stamp, officer and assistant signatures
- Historical context: Reflects the vibrant multicultural trade network of Aksaray and the active participation of Armenian merchants in the late Ottoman economy