This thesis explores the Ottoman guilds during the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries as they are depicted in the miniature paintings contained within two well-known and well-preserved festival albums: the Surname-i Humayun (1582) and the Surname-i Vehbi (1720). These manuscripts describe the events occurring during the festival celebrations for the circumcisions of the sons of Sultan Murad III (r. 1574-95) and Sultan Ahmed III (r. 1703-30) and while they offer an excellent portrait of Ottoman society in general, they are particularly noteworthy for their portrayals of guild processions. Based on analysis of the festival paintings as well as on existing literature, the guilds are examined in the greater context of the Ottoman Empire and aspects such as guild function, structure, hierarchy, membership, and origins and evolution of the guilds are considered.

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