Filiz Çağman, famous Turkish historian, dies at 81

Turkish historian Filiz Çağman, one of the world's leading experts on manuscripts and miniature art, died on Jan. 11 at the age of 81.

Retired in 2005, Çağman worked for 41 years at Istanbul's Topkapı Palace, one of the most famous landmarks of Istanbul that once housed Ottoman sultans while the city was the capital of the empire.

She was the first female director of the palace and was one of the people who contributed greatly toward the repair and reconstruction of the site.

Born in 1940 in the northwestern province of Edirne, Çağman graduated from the Istanbul University's Faculty of Letters Institute of Aesthetics and Art History in Turkish and Islamic discipline in 1964.

Between 1964 and 1997, Çağman worked as a manuscript, miniature and calligraphy specialist at the Topkapı Palace Manuscripts Library. She brought to light the rare works in the collection and opened it to national and international researchers.

In 1971, she received the title of doctor from the Istanbul University with her thesis titled "Topkapı Palace Museum Library Treasury No. 762 Miniatures of Nizami Hamse."

She organized many national and well-attended Art History Research Communication Seminars at the Topkapı Palace Museum for more than 10 years.

Together with her colleagues, Nurhan Atasoy and Zeren Tanındı, Çağman produced works on miniature and bookbinding. Apart from the miniature manuscripts, which was her main field of expertise, she also worked on the Ehl-i Hiref organization of the palace.

Çağman was appointed as the museum director of Topkapı Palace in 1997, during which she worked on collections in other parts of Topkapı Palace as well for many years and revealed unknown details about various works. She retired from her...