A Journal for TAHMİS 

Göstermelik

(An introductory picture, or a screen ornament displayed before the prologue in Karagöz plays)

Design: Unknown artist

Adapted and made by Nazlı M. Ümit for Tahmis, 2024.

“Ayyâş-ı zemân ebniye-i keyfi ne bilsün 

Afyon ile kahveyle olur keyfün esâsı

Ahşam u sabâh keyfe uyup iki eliyle

Tiryâkilerün tutduğı kahveyle gıdâsı” 

(İbrahim Tırsî, -/ 1766)

“John Covel, an English clergyman traveling near Izmir in 1670, remarked about "an old Coffe man there, who was an Afionje or Ophionje [Turkish: afyoncu], a great eater of Opium." What Covel saw was by no means an isolated coincidence. Katib Çelebi  tells us, "Drug addicts in particular, finding [coffee] a life giving thing, which increases their pleasure, were willing  to die for a cup”. Drug consumption became one of the activities prac ticed in the coffeehouse. "The kahwagee," Lane tells us, "also keeps two or three narghiles [water pipes] or shee shehs, and gozes, which latter are used for smoking tumbak [pressed tobacco] ... and hasheesh." Russell describes the use of "sheera" or "bing," which is apparently the leaves of hemp processed into the shape of small lozenges, mixed with tobacco, and used in the nargile.” Ralph Hattox

Tahmishane

Designed and made by Nazlı M. Ümit for the Karagöz play 'Tahmis'

“It appeared that the administration realized the futility of prohibitions; they had failed to put an end to coffeehouses and the public’s penchant for coffee. Moreover, as there was no tax on coffee entering the country in various ways, the prohibitions caused the state to suffer serious losses. Attempting to disincline the public from  coffee consumption by laying heavy taxes as a last resort, the state recognized the serious income derived from these taxes and thus imposed new ones. Hence, coffee sales were monopolized and the “tahmishanes,” namely the establishments where coffee was roasted and ground, were regulated. A “Tahmishane Eminliği” (Superintendence of Coffee Roasting and Grinding) was established to run coffee trade within the scope of laws and regulations” Beşir Ayvazoğlu 

“The first tahmishane in Istanbul was established in Tahtakale, in the region called Tahmis Street today, in the 1590s. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the tahmishane, whose number expanded to two throughout time and was offered to the residents of the Ottoman city, brewed approximately 550-650 tons of coffee annually. Coffee beans coming from Yemen was the main raw material in the tahmishane until the end of the 18th century, later the Frankish coffee entered the industry.” Eşref Temel