Bacıyan-ı Rûm can be regarded as the first institutional women’s organization formed by Turkish women who were active in Anatolia during the medieval period (13th–14th centuries). The group is known to have become identified with the term bacı, meaning “sister” or “woman” within the organization. This structure represents a form of solidarity in which women gathered to participate collectively in social, economic, and cultural spheres. From a communication-oriented perspective, available sources indicate that Bacıyan-ı Rûm operated in parallel with the Ahi guilds and other professional or commercial associations. Moreover, during the founding period of the Ottoman polity, the organization played a significant social and military role in frontier regions, and continued its activities in religious and communal life after the establishment of the Ottoman state. The organization had a women-centered framework through which members took active part in production and trade, built networks of cooperation, and organized around crafts and household-based economic practices. It contributed substantially to enhancing women’s visibility in the economic sphere and strengthening their autonomy. The aim of this study is to examine this subject within the framework of communication studies, emphasizing its relevance to collective memory. Scholarly research and media materials were selected as the primary sources for the analysis.
Bacıyân-ı Rûm, Anadolu, Kültür, Temsil, İletişim