Call For Papers: Travellers In Ottoman Lands – The Botanical Legacy

Call for paper submissions for a two-day seminar Saturday May 13 – Sunday May 14 2017 at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, presented by the Association for the Study of Travel in Egypt and the Near East (ASTENE) in conjunction with the Centre for Middle Eastern Plants, part of the Royal Botanic Garden. Contributions are welcome from a wide range of disciplines and interests. It is envisaged that the Seminar will cover many fascinating subjects on (though not restricted to) the following main themes:

• Travellers’ accounts related to the botanical legacy of any part of the former Ottoman Empire (e.g. present-day Turkey, the Levant, Egypt, the Balkans, Arabian Peninsula etc.)
• The flora of the region, including their heritage, preservation and medicinal uses
• Bulbs of the region, especially tulips, and their cultural significance; Tulipomania
• Ottoman garden design and architecture
• Floral and related motifs in Ottoman art, including textiles, ceramics etc.
• Culinary aspects of the botanical legacy of the region
• Literary, pictorial and photographic depictions of any aspect of the botanical and horticultural legacy of the region
• Orientalism as applicable to any of the seminar’s main themes
Please email your offers of papers to ottomanlandsastene@gmail.com together with a working title, a brief abstract of not more than 250 words, and the names of authors and their affiliations. We also welcome the offer of pre-organised panels of up to four speakers on specific themes. Participants will be informed about the acceptance of their paper by 15 February 2017.

Please see this poster for further details.