The Kitab-ı Bahriye (Book of Navigation) of Piri Reis

Abstract title/> Piri Reis was a celebrated navigator and explorer of the sixteenth century. He very keenly observed the places he visited and drew upon his personal notes as well as information and documents he obtained from others to produce very important cartographic maps that were of particular benefit for people engaged in navigation. He collected most of these maps in his work titled Kitab-ı Bahriye (Book of Navigation). The most important feature of this work is that it combines numerous maps with geographical information on the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea. This feature allowed users instant access to substantial information which was not or could not be included in the maps. As a very important work, there are a number of manuscript copies of Kitab-ı Bahriye preserved in various museums, yet scholarly studies on Kitab-ı Bahriye are still scarce. The present study aims to contribute to the promotion of the work and help to initiate academic research in various fields.