An Ottoman Festival Scene on Karagöz's Stage: Buffoonery on a Jar

Nazlı M. Ümit 

During Ottoman festivities, men called tulumcular were responsible for maintaining order and safety. They used tulum (a bag made of animal skin and full of water) when they had to intervene to prevent chaos. However, they also often acted like they were a part of a pandemonium. Some of them would dress strangely and look like evil spirits. The following “göstermelik” (a kind of stage prop/decorative piece used in Karagöz plays before the performance) depicts the "tulumcular" in both cases: 

Three curcunabaz performing buffoonery

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Two tulumcu carrying tulums 

Designed and carved by Nazlı M. Ümit, 2022 

Calf skin, 40 cm.

The above-given göstermelik represents the Ottoman festive spirit and curcuna (pandemonium) on a küp (pottery jar) which is a frequently used image and object in Turkish comedy and folklore. The inspiration for the form of this göstermelik was comedy, mime, and phlyax plays portrayed on Ancient Greek vases. 

Sûrname-i Vehbî

Sûrname-i Vehbî

A modern interpretation of the same scene by Şekip Davaz. 

However, the main source for the figures, composition and the narrative was Sûrname-i Vehbî illustrated by Levnî. Sûrname is a title used for imperial festival books and Sûrname-i Vehbî is the manuscript written by Seyyid Vehbi and illustrated by Levnî Çelebi. It is an account of the festival organised in 1720 to commemorate the circumcision of four sons of Sultan Ahmed III. 

Vehbî describes the above given scene as follows:

“Sayeban-ı vekil-i saltanat dervazesi rüfte-i ahdab-ı tulumcıyan kılınıp evvela ol ecinne süretlü, ucube hey'etlü eşhas-ı şetaret-ihtisas curcuna tabir olunur bâzi-i suhre-sazı ile bast-ı büriya-yı inbisat ve daire-i sayebanı za'feranzar-ı hande-i neşat eylediler.” 

Tulumcu men accompanying the parade and court members

Another surviving pictorial narrative of the curcunabaz or tulumcular and their performances is another festival book dating back to the 16th century. The following miniatures depicts the tulumcu and buffoonery scenes from Sûrname-i Hümayun which was written by İntizamî and illustrated by Nakkaş Osman in order to narrate the festival organised in 1842 to commemorate Sultan Murad III’s son Prince Mehmed. The festival took place in the Hippodrome of Constantinople. 

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