Fragments from Ottoman Zagori: continuity and change in a montane landscape through a local perspective

A study of the Zagori Cultural Landscape (NW Greece) reveals that the peaceful integration of local elites into the Ottoman Empire led to significant changes in settlement patterns from the 15th to the 19th century. Initially, the Ottoman administration fragmented large decentralized settlements into smaller villages to accommodate both local elites and new timariots. Over time, this 'topography of division' shifted towards a 'topography of adaptation,' where local elites played a pivotal role in shaping settlement patterns and forming the administrative unit known as the Zagorisian League. The research combines imperial and local archival records, ethnographic studies, and landscape archaeology to uncover these transformations.

Moudopoulos-Athanasiou, F., & Kolovos, E. (2023). Fragments from Ottoman Zagori: continuity and change in a montane landscape through a local perspective. Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies, 48(2), 290–306. https://doi.org/10.1017/byz.2023.24