Court Registries of Bakhchisaray Kadylyk of the 17th–19th centuries: Language and Structure of the Documents of “Qısmet-i mevaris” (“Share of the Heirs”).

Abstract

Research objective: to study the language and structure of documents of “Qısmet-i mevaris”. Research materials: Despite the publication of individual articles and even two books in one way or another thematically related to the consideration of the registries of the Crimean Sharia courts, information of philological character about these written sources is virtually absent. At the same time, a careful and detailed examination of these documents reveals a large formation of linguistic materials characterized both the linguistic situation and the era of the middle and late periods of the Crimean Khanate in general. Kadiasker books contain a significant amount of unique names, toponymic and onomastic denominations, legal terminology, the names of crafts and official titles and positions. They mention forgotten names of animals’ breeds and colors as weel as contain other linguistic material. Results and novelty of the research: Documents on the inheritance division occupy a special place in these sources and are of great interest for scholars since they contain samples of the style and structure of official documents. These documents mention the names of household items, housewares, clothing, which is especially important from the point of view of contemporary study both of the history of the language as well as the history of the Turkic clans’ settling in Crimea.

Keywords

• court registry of the Crimean Khanate
• division of the inheritance
• southwest Oghuz language
• written tradition
• animal breeds
• khasene.