Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Middle Eastern Studies, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
Due to social and religious restrictions on cadaver use, anatomy education in the Ottoman period relied on models, planches and books, and illustrations before dissections were permitted. This study examines whether advancements in medical and anatomical education paralleled modernization efforts by analysing locomotor system illustrations in two anatomy books: Mir’âtü’l-Ebdân and İlm-i Teşrîh between the establishment of the first Ottoman medical school (1806) and the first medical faculty (1909). A total of 103 anatomical illustrations were examined comparatively using document analysis. Findings show that İlm-i Teşrîh exhibits greater anatomical accuracy, symmetry and three-dimensional depth, aligning with the standardized references, while Mir’âtü’l-Ebdân reflects a more individualized approach. The comparison reveals that advancements in anatomical knowledge were mirrored in illustrations, demonstrating their role in medical education. This study highlights the role of medical illustrations in the progression of anatomical education and underscores their significance in the historical context of modernization.