Word of the Day
Oda (OH-duh)
Common clue: harem room
Definition: A room within a harem.
Eugene
Delacroix, Women of Algiers in Their Apartment, 1834
The harems of the Ottomans evolved into highly structured and hierarchical systems, with a distinct pecking order. The expectation was that any woman who entered the harem as a possible companion for the Sultan would try to ascend this ladder of power and position.
There were many women in the harems, of course. Slaves, dancers and other entertainers, educators, retired concubines, and many more. But our fascination is with those women who were destined, if they were lucky enough, smart enough, and beautiful enough, to attract the notice of the Sultan.
Upon entering the harem, these women, who may have been gifted, or even bought by the Sultan's emissaries, entered a dormitory-like group called an oda. The women slept, ate, and studied in one large room under the supervision of an older woman, usually one of the Sultan's favorites who had grown old in his service. At this stage, the maidens were called gediklis, the privileged ones.
[Source: http://www.ancientworlds.net/aw/Thread/145002]
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