29 October 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

An Interesting Ottoman Tradition Resembling Christmas tree: “NAHIL” OR WISHING TREE

Nahıl, a word of Arabic origin, means date palm. This word was later used by the people to mean the wish tree.

Nahıl tree tradition, whose roots go back to the Anatolian Seljuk State, became more widespread in the Ottoman Empire. This tradition, which is similar to the celebration of Christmas, is one of the most important parts of the sultan’s festivities.

The tree has great importance in Turkish culture. With the belief of Shamanism, tree is entered daily life and accepted as a tool of communication.

All the meanings that the tree of life encompasses are reflected on traditions. The tree of life is used as a motive in architecture and handicrafts of the Anatolian realm in Turkish culture before and after Islam.

With the use of three-dimensional nahı in various sizes, celebrations, and weddings held in the Ottoman Empire exhibit a new interpretation of the tree.



📣 Our WhatsApp channel is now LIVE! Stay up-to-date with the latest news and updates, just click here to follow us on WhatsApp and never miss a thing!!



A miniature showing the tradition of tree decoration in the Ottoman Empire.
A miniature showing the tradition of tree decoration in the Ottoman Empire.

Nahıl trees, the tallest of which is 10 meters and the shortest 2-3 meters high, were frequently used in festivities during the Ottoman period.

There was a candle on the top of these trees, and each floor had a separate ornament. In later years, a crescent was placed on the top of especially large Nahıl trees instead of candles.

Nahıl is a wedding and festival decoration that resembles a palm tree with its conic shape becoming thinner as it ascends and is decorated with ornaments of various shapes.

It was believed that for those who write their wishes on a piece of paper and hang it on the Nahıl tree, all their wishes will come true. Various balls and bows were hung on these trees, which were also used in circumcision weddings and various ceremonies of the sultans.

At weddings, a few large Nahıl trees and dozens of small Nahıl trees were made. At weddings, Nahıl was brought from the bride’s house to the groom’s house.

A miniature showing the tradition of tree decoration in the Ottoman Empire.
A miniature showing the tradition of tree decoration in the Ottoman Empire. Photo: Tarihi Kadim

The meaning ascribed to nahıl coincides with the meaning ascribed to the tree. Nahıls which draw all the attention to themselves are important indicators in terms of sharing power and beauty with the society.

Historians mention the existence and technical features of nahıls in small and large scales. Nahıls on which the power of sovereignty is also reflected have begun to be forgotten with the collapse of Ottoman Empire.

The traces of nahıl are found, though rarely, in Turkey and it is used in plain forms as a sign of wedding ceremonies. As a reflection of an almost forgotten cultural tradition, nahıl makers (Nahılbents) of today strive to keep alive this tradition.

Today, the Nahıl tree tradition, like many customs and traditions, is among the forgotten traditions. Today, this tradition is tried to be continued in Nevşehir/Ürgüp under the name of “eulogizing nahıl” at weddings.

Related Articles

The Discovery of nobleman Khuwy could rewrite Egypt history

25 October 2021

25 October 2021

The mummified corpse of an ancient Egyptian nobleman named Khuwy, discovered in 2019, showed the ancient Egyptians were carrying out...

Woodhenge Found in Denmark: A Link Between Denmark and Britain’s Neolithic Past

1 March 2025

1 March 2025

In a stunning revelation, archaeologists have unearthed a remarkable structure dubbed “woodhenge” in Denmark, a discovery that not only illuminates...

Archaeologists Unveil Sanctuary of Odysseus on Ithaca: A Monumental Discovery Rooted in Myth and History

15 June 2025

15 June 2025

A major archaeological breakthrough on the Greek island of Ithaca has brought new clarity to the island’s legendary past. Researchers...

60 Elongated Structures of Unknown Function and Neolithic Silos Discovered in France

12 October 2024

12 October 2024

The Pfulgriesheim site, located in northeastern France’s Alsace region, underwent extensive archaeological research before being developed as a new urban...

Tutankhamun of Kazakhstan, “Golden Man”

1 August 2024

1 August 2024

The Golden Man, the main symbol of Kazakhstan’s independence, is a warrior’s costume from about the 5th century BC that...

8 ostrich eggs over 4,000 years old discovered near excavated firepit in Negev desert

13 January 2023

13 January 2023

Eight ostrich eggs dating between 4,000 and 7,500 years ago have been found during excavations next to a fire pit...

Centuries-Old Shipwrecks in Costa Rica Identified as Danish Slave Ships

5 May 2025

5 May 2025

Marine archaeologists have definitively identified two long-known shipwrecks off the coast of Cahuita National Park in Costa Rica as the...

Ancient Funerary Stones Looted from Yemen Will Be Exhibited at the Victoria & Albert Museum

14 September 2023

14 September 2023

The Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) has signed a historic agreement with the Yemeni government to temporarily keep and display...

Inscriptions That Could Change the History of Turkish Migration to Anatolia Are Disappearing: Esatlı Kaya Inscriptions

30 March 2025

30 March 2025

Researchers made a significant discovery during field research conducted in 1994 in Esatlı village, Mesudiye, Ordu. They introduced a series...

New study: Human brains preserve in diverse environments for at least 12 000 years

21 March 2024

21 March 2024

A study by forensic anthropologist Alexandra Morton-Hayward and her team from the University of Oxford has shown that the human...

Opulent Bronze Age Girl’s Tomb Discovered in Iran’s Greater Khorasan Civilization

1 August 2025

1 August 2025

Archaeologists have uncovered a remarkably rich Bronze Age burial of a young woman at the site of Tepe Chalow in...

Arkeologists decipher hieroglyphics of a vessel found in the archaeological rescue of the Mayan Train

16 May 2022

16 May 2022

Based on the analysis of eleven glyphic cartouches inscribed into a ceramic pot, discovered in October 2021 during archaeological rescue...

A New Picene Prince Tomb Dating to the 7th Century BC with Two Chariots Discovered in Corinaldo, Italy

29 July 2024

29 July 2024

Following the discovery of the so-called ‘Prince of Corinaldo’ in 2018, archaeologists from the University of Bologna have discovered a...

2,000-Year-Old Hellenistic Tomb Discovered Under Collapsed Port Road in Northern Cyprus

24 June 2025

24 June 2025

A routine alert about a collapsed road at Gazimağusa Port in Northern Cyprus has led to a remarkable archaeological breakthrough....

New study: Humans engaged in large-scale warfare in Europe 5,000 years ago ‘1,000 years earlier than previously thought’

3 November 2023

3 November 2023

Hundreds of human remains unearthed from a burial site point to a  warfare between Stone Age people long before the...