Turkish Daily Life
Learn more about the traditional lifestyles, diet, clothing, and homes of Turkish peoples.
Traditional Lifestyles of Turkey
Since the days of the Ottoman Empire, daily life in Turkey has varied by region and proximity to its urban centers. Originally, the vast majority of Turkish cultures lived as steppe nomads, traveling in felt tents and moving herds of sheep, goats, and cattle from horseback. From this common beginning, they diversified into pastoralism, farming, and urban life.
In cities such as Istanbul and Ankara, for example, people have led cosmopolitan lifestyles for centuries. Urban homes in Muslim quarters could be several stories high, ornamented with gardens, fountains, and decorative tile. Each house was divided into two sections. Men and guests lived, dined, and visited in the outer rooms. The inner chambers were exclusively reserved for women of the household. Markets offered foods from many cultures, including Greek, Arabic, Persian, and Turkish fare. Coffee houses grew very popular from the 16th century on, and the drink soon spread along trade and pilgrimage routes.
Historic Clothing in Turkey
Ottoman fashions were dynamic and nuanced, highlighting the wealth and status of their wearer. They were derived from both earlier clothing of the Turkish tribes as well as broader fashion trends in the Middle East and Europe. As a general rule, both men and women wore baggy trousers gathered at the ankle. Trendy women might also wear long-sleeved gowns, tied with a sash, beneath short jackets. Women in cities generally remained within the home. When they did venture out, they wore concealing robes and often veils for modesty and cleanliness. Besides weddings and other ceremonies, they made frequent social calls or visited public baths. Lower-class women were less restricted in their movements. Men also wore vests, jackets, and sashes. Prominent men covered these with a kaftan, a long and often elaborately decorated coat. They wore turbans in a number of styles, along with fez hats and regional favorites.
Turkish Cuisine
Outside city walls, a large peasant class worked to raise crops and livestock. Due to labor shortages and abundant land, they often enjoyed more autonomy than their European counterparts. Their homes and livelihoods were as diverse as the cultures conquered by the Ottomans. Wheat bread and to a lesser extent rice formed the staple foods of the peasants. Mutton, lamb, and beef were their primary meats. Pork, prohibited by Islam, was especially rare. Other popular foods included dumplings, pastas, pastries, sweets, broths, yogurt salads, figs, seafood, and stuffed fruits or vegetables. Grapes, zucchini, eggplants, tomatoes, artichokes, and olives remain popular ingredients in Turkish cuisine. Each part of modern Turkey is still home to complex regional cuisines decided by local taste and resources.
Modern Lifestyles of Turkey
The fall of the Ottoman Empire and the rise of the Republic of Turkey brought many changes to Turkish life. One of the most visible was the change in fashion. Certain styles like the fez hat were banned outright. The new government pushed for modernization on all fronts. Today’s Turkish people live primarily in cities and choose many different lifestyles for themselves.
Learn More About Turkish Culture:
Cultural Overview | Geography | History | Daily Life | Society | Economy | Beliefs | Arts & Music
References
Faroqhi, Suraiya. Subjects of the Sultan: Culture and Daily Life in the Ottoman Empire. I.B. Tauris. 2005.
Finkel, Caroline. Osman’s Dream: The History of the Ottoman Empire. Basic Books. 2005.
Howard, Douglas Arthur. The History of Turkey. Greenwood Press. 2001.
Kandiyoti, Deniz and Ayşe Saktanber, eds. Fragments of Culture: The Everyday of Modern Turkey. I.B. Tauris. 2002.
“The World Factbook: TURKEY.” Central Intelligence Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, 20 June 2018, www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tu.html.
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