Global peasant, local elite: mobility and interaction in Ottoman Cyprus

Given, M. (2017) Global peasant, local elite: mobility and interaction in Ottoman Cyprus. Journal of Islamic Archaeology, 4(1), pp. 1-21. (doi: 10.1558/jia.32963)

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Abstract

This article challenges the polarization, still common in accounts of Ottoman Cyprus and elsewhere, of an oppressed, isolated peasantry and the power and connectedness of the elite. By integrating archaeological, historical and ethnographic evidence, it examines the specific mechanisms of production, exchange and movement across the Cypriot landscape. The patterns of activities of the peasantry show not just a deep rooting in their community landscape but also a striking mobility and agency: they had a significant ability to negotiate, participate and protest in the distributed power system of the Ottoman empire, and show intense movement and widespread connections across the island and beyond. The elite participated in a series of regional and Mediterranean-wide networks, and had many opportunities to increase their wealth, political power and social position. But they were also deeply embedded in agricultural production and in the land. The landscape of Ottoman Cyprus, then, is characterized by intense interaction at all levels, by a highly connected peasantry as much as by a localized elite.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Given, Dr Michael
Authors: Given, M.
College/School:College of Arts & Humanities > School of Humanities > Archaeology
Journal Name:Journal of Islamic Archaeology
Publisher:Equinox Publishing
ISSN:2051-9729
ISSN (Online):2051-9729
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2017 Equinox Publishing Ltd
First Published:First published in Journal of Islamic Archaeology 4(1): 1-21
Publisher Policy:Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy

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