Historical seals exhibition opens in Ankara, Türkiye

Cadastre General Directorate of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change organized its 884 document seals by examining them over a five-year period. The seals, which represent state discipline and authority throughout history and confer legal identity to documents, were thoroughly studied.

Minister of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change Mehmet Ozhaseki stated, “We meticulously examined our 884 seals, which are a testament to historical state discipline and authority, and determined their place in literature through a five-year intensive study.”

Minister Ozhaseki provided information about the seals displayed at the Ankara Server Efendi Exhibition Hall in the following statement:

“We meticulously examined our seals, which are the ancient witness of history, through a five-year intensive study, and determined their place in literature. We are displaying our 884 seals, which represent state discipline and authority and confer legal identity to documents, at the Ankara Server Efendi Exhibition Hall.”

Minister Ozhaseki mentioned that each seal was carefully crafted, saying, “Official seals, inspectorate seals, official seals, and personal seals all bear the traces of the period in which they were made. These pieces, reflecting traditional art of the Ottoman Period and the aesthetic beauty of calligraphy, have survived through the years to reach present day.”

Ozhaseki described one of the most notable seals in the collection, saying, “Our Rumi seal, dated 1300, consists of four pieces. During that period, one piece was with the director, and the other pieces were with the members, but it could only be used when all four people came together. It has arrived today as a seal that ensures the highest level of document reliability.”

Ozhaseki also mentioned that in addition to the seals, zabt registration books, title deeds, land registers, tahrir (registration) books, maps, and a handwritten Quran were exhibited at the Server Efendi Exhibition Hall. Participating in the literature study of the seals, Merih Sucu, Head of the Archive Department of the Tapu and Cadastre General Directorate, Preservation and Restoration Specialist, stated:

“For an official document to be valid, it must be sealed. The seal, which represents the authority’s will, also gives legal identity to the document. From the very beginning, the state has guaranteed all of our processes.