΄ԱՀՏ Ը ՃԷՏԻՏ [New Testament (allograph text)], Ottoman Empir - Lot 95

΄ԱՀՏ Ը ՃԷՏԻՏ [New Testament (allograph text)], Ottoman Empire, Istanbul, 1884. In-16 (9.5 x 6.5 cm), [2] ff. (Title page in Armenian Turkish, and inscription on verso in Arabic characters stating "In Ottoman Turkish, published on 25 Rajab 1301/ 8 Mayis 1300 (May 1884) by the American Bible Society with the permission of the Ministry of Public Instruction"), 999 pp., full contemporary brown morocco basane, smooth spine, gilt title (ԻՆՃԻԼ ՇԷՐԻՖ [Honorable Gospel]), gilt brass reinforced edges with clasp, gilt edge. (Slight rubbing to binding, very light scattered foxing otherwise a fine copy). Allographic text in Ottoman Turkish written in the Armenian alphabet. Allography is the alternative spelling of a letter or word. In this case, it defines the way of writing one language using the alphabet of another. In the Ottoman Empire, the Armenian community developed a body of literature in Turkish, but written in Armenian characters. Although Turkish was spoken throughout the Empire, Armenians did not always know how to write it. This allographic process already existed among the Syriacs, who wrote Arabic in Syriac characters from the 11th century onwards, a process that became highly developed from the 16th century onwards.