From <i>Zibil</i> to <i>Mezbele</i> : Social Order, Garbage and Officials in Early Modern Ottoman Bursa

This article examines discarded objects and items considered as garbage within the context of Ottoman urban life. Upholding communal living principles and ensuring cleanliness in communal areas are vital for residents and help maintain social order. The central aim of this study is to understand how early modern Ottoman society viewed and categorised discarded items. By examining the terminology used to describe them, this research seeks to enhance our understanding of the lexicon related to discarded objects. Additionally, the article aims to identify specific locations within the Ottoman Empire, particularly in Bursa, where garbage dumps were situated. It also seeks to clarify the responsibilities and authority of official state representatives tasked with overseeing garbage, known as garbage dump officials. This analysis will primarily rely on Bursa’s qadi court records, the registers of the imperial governing bureau ( mühimme kayıtları ), fatwas from the Şeyhülislam, and various individual documents from the Ottoman Archives.