The manufacture and trade in crafted goods and the men and women who were involved in this industry--including metalworkers, ceramicists, silk weavers, fez-makers, blacksmiths and even barbers--lay at the social as well as the economic heart of the Ottoman empire. This comprehensive history by leading Ottoman historian Suraiya Faroqhi presents the definitive view of the subject, from the production and distribution of different craft objects to their use and enjoyment within the community.