The Sacred Camel Leaving the Sultan's Palace at Constantinople With Gifts for the Shrine of the Prophet at Mecca

Description

The engraving depicts the Surre Procession, sent to Mecca annually during the Ottoman period. The journey of the decorated camel to Mecca is part of the Surre Procession tradition, one of the most magnificent religious ceremonies of the Ottoman Empire. Departing from Istanbul every year on the 12th of Rajab, this procession aimed to deliver both the Sultan's gifts and Muslim aid and donations to Mecca. Pilgrims would also join the Surre Procession along its route. This engraving depicts the Surre Procession departing from Dolmabahçe Palace on August 2, 1882. According to a newspaper report dated August 19, 1882, the procession was greeted with cannon fire from Tophane with a magnificent ceremony as it crossed the Bosphorus. After resting for three days in Üsküdar, it continued on its way. It was also written that the Sacred Camel was prepared in an extremely ornate manner and almost its entire body was hidden by an embroidered canopy, giving it a religious and symbolic meaning. It is reported that the convoy was accompanied by several other camels, and a mule also carried a palanquin. The ceremony was not merely a religious journey but also a symbolic event showcasing the splendor of the Ottoman palace, its social participation, and the state's central position in the Islamic world.