Hilkat Garibeleri: Those Born with Birth Anomalies in Ottoman Society

In the Ottoman society, as is the case in contemporary times, it is known that individuals born with birth anomalies (congenital physical differences) existed. Through scrutiny of Ottoman archives, it has been possible to identify some documents pertaining to such conditions. These documents typically contain various content describing the circumstances of individuals born with birth anomalies, often due to the perception of their appearances as unusual. A small part of the documents include the fact that people with anomalies of birth are materially protected by the state so that they can earn a living. Consequently, it is possible to examine the perceptions and attitudes of both the state and society regarding this issue based on the examples that can be obtained. In the Ottoman society, individuals or animals with physical differences were generally referred to as “Hilkat Garibesi”. Although perceived with astonishment by the society, the condition of these individuals was interpreted as being inherent, originating from creation (hilkat). Therefore, it can be argued that in the Ottoman society, abnormal births were attempted to be explained by the existence of Allah and His power, based on both the terminologies used and the attitudes displayed towards them. At the core of this outlook lie the cultural values of Turkish society and the Islamic faith.