Part 4/8:

In terms of table manners, the Ottoman Empire had unique customs that differed from Western dining. The first-known etiquette book in Turkish, Kutadgu Bilig, penned around 1070, emphasized the importance of manners at the table, such as not overloading one's mouth and eating with moderation. A 16th-century manual expanded on this by offering humorous illustrations of improper dining behavior, creating characters that embodied these faux pas, laying bare the importance of not displaying greed or lack of refinement while dining.