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This
site is intended to provide a wide range of information about the Levantine
community, serve as a discussion forum, and provide a meeting point
for descendants.
For our purposes the term “Levantines” designates primarily those Europeans and Americans who settled in the Levant - a region generally conterminous with the Ottoman Empire though a precise definition may be subject to debate - from the early 17th century until 1923. It also includes certain members, sometimes whole families, of non-Turkish groups of Ottoman subjects - Greeks, Armenians, Persians - drawn into the Levantine orbit by virtue of business and professional contacts with the expatriates.
The material presented here thus far happens to refer predominantly to the British presence in the Smyrna (Izmir) area, but information about other national groups and parts of the Levant will be warmly welcomed. Indeed it is hoped that a more complete picture will emerge as such information comes in.
The web site not only brings together information from various written sources and personal recollections, but aims to serve as an open platform for discussion and exchange of views on a still under-researched subject. The site is still under construction and the content and style of presentation will be determined and amended in accordance with the feedback I receive from the readership. This can be e-mailed to me at craigencer[at]yahoo.com and I will also act as the intermediary for connecting you with other descendants. More information on our grouping:
For our purposes the term “Levantines” designates primarily those Europeans and Americans who settled in the Levant - a region generally conterminous with the Ottoman Empire though a precise definition may be subject to debate - from the early 17th century until 1923. It also includes certain members, sometimes whole families, of non-Turkish groups of Ottoman subjects - Greeks, Armenians, Persians - drawn into the Levantine orbit by virtue of business and professional contacts with the expatriates.
The material presented here thus far happens to refer predominantly to the British presence in the Smyrna (Izmir) area, but information about other national groups and parts of the Levant will be warmly welcomed. Indeed it is hoped that a more complete picture will emerge as such information comes in.
The web site not only brings together information from various written sources and personal recollections, but aims to serve as an open platform for discussion and exchange of views on a still under-researched subject. The site is still under construction and the content and style of presentation will be determined and amended in accordance with the feedback I receive from the readership. This can be e-mailed to me at craigencer[at]yahoo.com and I will also act as the intermediary for connecting you with other descendants. More information on our grouping:
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If you wish to contribute to the ongoing restoration work at St. Mary Magdalene Church and Anglican Cemetery in Bornova, click here for details: & updated information:
E-mail administrator to obtain copies of aid documents: ‘How to research archive in a Levantine context’ and ‘Template of Questions for Levantine Oral Interviews’ (also in Italian). - Announcing the start of the ‘Veteran Levantines Speak’ project headed by Görkem Daşkan, click video to learn. Please get in touch with us if you can assist in any way. For transcript of the interview, click here:- for further information, click here: - Would you or your business be interested in sponsoring one of our researchers on the ground or hiring them for personal family research - details: - | ||
Announcing the start of the ‘Alsancak House Ownership Research Project’ managed by Görkem Daşkan, click video for first interview sample. Please get in touch with us if you can assist in any way - for further information, click here:
- If you would like to contribute to the commitee working for the repair and upkeep of the Christian cemeteries of Izmir, click for details: - Announcing the recent publication of the ‘Traditional Recipes of the Levantine Cuisine’ in English and Turkish, that can now be purchased, through this web page. - If you wish to purchase a limited edition of the 2010 Levantine Symposium book contact the administrator - sample pages. |
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New MSc educational programme that combines Middle Eastern and Diaspora studies in Edinburgh, Scotland, the first of its kind concentrating on minorities of the Levant - pdf details:
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Announcing the launch of our registered charity foundation arm, ‘The Levantine Heritage Foundation’ in December 2011, the web site can now accept membership and donation payments. Your generosity will ensure the continuation of research in the field.
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‘The Medici and the Levant: Culture and dialogue between Florence and the Eastern Mediterranean (1532-1743)’- a one-day conference in English and Italian at the Archivio di Stato in Florence, June 7th, 2013 - info:
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Trade, Travel and Transmission in the Medieval Mediterranean - Third Biennial Conference of the Society for the Medieval Mediterranean - Churchill College, University of Cambridge (UK), 8-10 July 2013 - info:
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Exhibition on Smyrna in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries: Western Views (Evocation of a City), to be held in the Fondation Arkas Izmir, 17 September-15 December 2013 (except Monday). There will be a catalogue in Turkish, French and English, arranged by Jean Luc Maeso - details.
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Film release coming soon, trailer of ‘Hello Anatolia’ by Valantis Stamelos: the journey of a young Greek-American who returns to the land of his ancestors... Izmir, Turkey - trailer - audio interview - facebook page:
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The first book to be published, the result of the group collaboration around this site: A Lexicon Of Smyrneika - İzmir Rumcasi Sözlüğü - Alex Baltazzi, George Galdies, George Poulimenos - Tarih Vakfı Yurt Yayınları / Araştırma - İnceleme Dizisi - 2012 - cover
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Conference on the former Evangelical School of Smyrna, in Izmir. Discussant is Takis Tsakiris, son of the founder of the Evangelical School in Athens. Conference is organised by the ‘Yüzleşme Platformu’, held on 22 May 2013 at 7 pm. at the Directorate of Social Projects of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, located in Izmir International Fair. The language of the conference is English, but Q & A part is trilingual, i.e. English, Greek, and Turkish. - flyer
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Call for papers for the Second Levantine Symposium in Izmir, Friday 31 October, 2014 with an option visit to Chios on 2-3 November - flyer-
Invitation to submit proposals, papers, funding and networking for our First Levantine Conference in Istanbul, ‘The Levantines: Communities, Commerce and Diplomacy’, to be held in Istanbul November 4-5 (6th optional sight-seeing), 2014. Your ideas and support are appreciated, please e-mail us at contact[at]levantineheritagefoundation.org.
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Cairo to Constantinople: Early Photographs of the Middle East - Friday March 8 – Sunday July 21, 2013, The Queen’s Gallery, Palace of Holyroodhouse, Canongate, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH8 8DX, Admission £6
