Property Deed #59
Name/Title
Property Deed #59Scope and Content
Ottoman Vineyard Title Deed – Karaenbiya Village, Adana (1914) This Ottoman-era title deed documents the ownership and inheritance transfer of a vineyard located in Karaenbiya village (circa 37.0081997, 35.2861222), Adana. Dated 16 February 1329 (1 March 1914), the record concerns a vineyard measuring twelve dönüms, explicitly covering both the land itself and the grapevines planted on it. The boundaries of the property are described through neighboring plots, including references to individuals such as Bezirci oğlu Karabet’s wife Marta to the east and Maraşlı Esteban to the west, clearly reflecting the Armenian presence in the rural landscape of the region. While some additional names appear in the boundary descriptions, the Ottoman cursive handwriting makes them challenging to read, though they remain legible and could be accurately identified by a specialist. The document further records that 21 shares out of 64 of this vineyard belonged to Karabet Avidisian, who passed away on 10 Teşrin-i Sani 1326 (23 November 1910). Following his death, his share was inherited by his wife Anuk (daughter of Mikail), his son Ruben, and his three daughters. The daughters’ names are written in Armenian and Ottoman Turkish script and are clearly present in the document. One of the daughters’ names appears to be Peka while the other is Pepron. By mutual agreement, all five heirs transferred their inherited shares free of charge to one of the daughters. The document contains numerous Armenian-language signatures and seals, making it a particularly strong primary source for studying Armenian land ownership, inheritance practices, and community life in late Ottoman Adana. Key Features: • Document Type: Ottoman title deed (tapu) • Language: Ottoman Turkish, with additional Armenian signatures and inscriptions • Date: 16 February 1329 (1 March 1914) • Location: Karaenbiya village, Adana • Property Type: Vineyard (including land and grapevines) • Size: 12 dönüms • Ownership Share: 21/64 shares originally belonging to Karabet Avidisian • Heirs: Wife Anuk (daughter of Mikail), son Ruben, and three daughters among whom are Peka and PepronCategory
Property Deeds