Fransız asıllı doğa bilimci, bitki ve böcek uzmanı Guillaume-Antoine Olivier (1756-1814) Montpellier şehrinde tıp okur, ancak tutkusu doğa bilimleridir. Önceleri doktorluk mesleğini keyifsizce doğum yerinde icra eder, ancak çok geçmeden asıl ilgi alanına yönlenir ve böcek derleme göreviyle Alçak Ülkeler (Hollanda), İngiltere ve başka yerlere gönderilir. Bu arada "Encyclopédie méthodique" ansiklopedisine böcekler ve örümcekler maddelerini, ve aynı konuyla ilgili çok ciltlik başka bir ansiklopedi için koleoptera böcekleri (kın kanatlılar) hakkında önemli makaleler yazar.

Yaşı otuz altıyken, Olivier, Fransız devletinin görevlisi olarak, M. Bruguière ile birlikte 1792-1799 yılları arasında İstanbul, Ege adaları, Girit, Mısır, Suriye ve Mezopotamya'yı ziyaret eder ve İran'a kadar varır. Bilgileri ve bilimsel tecrübesi sayesinde yolculuğu boyunca bugün Paris Doğa Tarihi Müzesinde (Muséum national d'histoire naturelle) korunan son derece zengin bir koleksiyon yaratır. Bilimler Akademisi (Académie des sciences) üyeliğinde bulunur, Veteriner okulunda zooloji dersini okutur.

Doğu'da yaptığı gezilerle ilgili altı ciltlik seyahatnamesinde ziyaret ettiği yer ve toplumların coğrafyası, ürünler, ticaret, ziraat ve yerbilimi, tıp, adetler ve hukukuyla ilgili bilgileri, anektodlara başvurmadan, düzenli ve ciddi bir biçimde sınıflandırır. Ayrıca "ekonomi ve siyaset sanatı"na da yer verir. Çeşitli etnik gruplar hakkında yaptığı yorumlar devrinin liberalist anlayışı doğrultusundadır. "Atlas" yayını hemen hemen tümüyle haritalar ve doğa tarihi çizelgeleri içerip bunlardan sadece ikisinin konusu gelenek ve göreneklerdir.

Yazan: İoli Vingopoulou

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  Shells of snails in natural size (a), magnified (b): from Istanbul area (1a, 1b), Crete (2,3,4,5,6,7), Chios (8,9, 11) and Kios.

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  Women from Chios.

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  Portrait of Shah Mohammad Ali Han of Persia (1760-1779).

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  Poplar tree of the species Populus euphratica whose foliage varies greatly among subspecies. For this reason, Olivier showed three examples of Populus euphratica leaves in his work.

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  Map of Asia Minor.

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  Branch of almond tree of the species Prunus arabica, from the Arabian desert.

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  Plant of the Astragalus gummifer species, from which tragacanth gum is extracted. (a) Flower of same plant. (b): Leaf of same plant.

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  Im. 1: Lizard of the Agamidae species found near Isfahan. 2: Scorpion from Kahan: Claws (aa), jaws (bb),(cc), eyes (dd). Im. 3,4,5,6: Arthropods of the galeodes species. Depiction of the jaws (a).

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  Branch of rose tree of the species Rosa Persica, on which are shown the successive stages of the plants' blossoming. (a): Petal, with purple-coloured part designated.

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  Soft-shell turtle of the species Rafetus euphraticus, killed by Olivier during his crossing of the Euphrates. 1: Upper part of the body 2: Lower part of the body.

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  Im. 1: Capital found near Mount Behistun in Persia, possibly representing king Khosrau. 2: Reliefs of Mithridates II of Parthia and Gotarzes II from Behistun. 3: Reliefs framing the inscription of Darius I the Great (Behistun inscription) at Mount Behistun.

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  Portait of Karim Han, of Persia.

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  Women from Persia, one in city dress, the other in dance costume.

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  Portrait of Nadir-Schah of Persia (1698 -1747).

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  Man from Persia in summer dress. Kurdish man bearing shield and club.

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  Oak branch of the species Quercus Libani (Lebanon oak), from Syria.

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  Shells of crustaceans discovered by Olivier in various places: Lake Mareotis in Egypt (1), Egypt (2), Orontes river (3), outskirts of Beirut (4A, 4B), outskirts of Alexandria (5a, 5b), outskirts of Sanliurfa, modern-day Turkey (8A, 8B), Alexandria (9A,9B), outskirts of Beirut (10A, 10B).

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  Im. 2: River crab from Egypt and Syria. River crab of the species Potamon potamios, from Syria, Mesopotamia and Persia.

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  Lizards from Egypt and Mesopotamia. 1: Bridled skink from Egypt (trachylepis vittata/ scincus vittatus). 2: Agama of the species Trapellus agilis or Agama agilis, outskirts of Baghdad. 3: Agama of the species Trapelus ruderatus / Agama ruderata, outskirts of Baghdad.

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  Im. 1: Rodent of the genus Gerbillus gerbillus from Egypt, natural size. A: Snout B: Front leg C: Hind leg. Im. 2: Mole of the genus Talpa, most possibly of the species Talpa caeca, blind or mediterranean mole. As the animal's eyes are covered by folds of skin in contrast to the European mole (Talpa europea), Olivier claimed that this was the real mole (“aspalax” ) spoken of by Aristotle. D: Front of the head.

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  Women from Baghdad, one in everyday dress, the other in formal costume.

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  Woman from Cairo and woman from Aleppo, both in formal dress.

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  Map of Tyre.

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  Map of Partheni port on Leros, together with part of Archangelos islet.

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  Map of the port of Leros with the forest and the settlement of Agia Marina.

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  Map of Alexandria coastline, from Marabou to Abu Qir.

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  Map of Lower Egypt.

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  Oak of the species Quercus infectoria or similar, from whose galls ink and vegetal dye are made. Image depicts two types of galls which grow on the tree as well as the two subspecies of wasp of the Cynipidae species, which cause the galls to grow on this tree.

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  Oak of the species Quercus infectoria or similar, from whose galls ink and vegetal dye are made. Image depicts two types of galls which grow on the tree as well as the two subspecies of wasp of the Cynipidae species which cause the galls to grow on this tree.

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  Branch, leaves and acorn of oak of the species Quercus aegylops.

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  Branch, leaves and acorn of oak of the species Quercus aegylops.

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  Ottoman cemetery. Women offering libation.

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  Map of Troad with the course of Karamenderes (Scamander) river, shown on the map as Simoïs river.

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  Map of the Dardanelles (Çanakkale boğazı).

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  Map of Butrint (Buthrotum) area.

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  Reliefs from the monument of Taq-e Bostan on the ouskirts of Kermanshah in Persia. Im. 1, 2: The king hunting deer and boars. 3: The coronation of shah Khosrau II, with the gigantic figure of the king mounted on his horse at the centre of the composition. 4: The coronation of Shapur III, with the king and his father, Shapur II.

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  Im. 2 A, B: Snake of the species Eryx jaculus, subspecies Eryx jaculus turcica from Polyaigos island, Cyclades. Im. 1: Skink of the species Chalcides ocellatus.

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  Im. 1: (1 (Α, B, C, D, E): Shrew bones found in the Ibis burials at Saqqara catacombs, Egypt. Im. 2: Bone of rat from same burial. Im. 3 A, B: Butterfly of the Belenois Aurota species, from the coast of Syria. Im. 4 A, B: Butterfly of the Colotis fausta species from the coast of Syria. Im. 5 A, B: Leaden tablet bearing inscription in Greek, from Beirut. Im. 6, 7: Amulets in cylindrical shape made of red jasper (6) and serpentine (7) bought by Olivier in Sanliurfa.

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  Map of Athens with its walls, showing the sites of ancient monuments.

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  Poplar tree of the species Populus euphratica whose foliage varies greatly among subspecies. For this reason, Olivier showed three examples of Populus euphratica leaves in his work.

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  Dance on the west bank of the Nile. On the foreground, two French travellers. The governors of the small vessels are smoking and drinking coffee while sitting on the ground, as are doing two dervishes and their servants farther away. According to Olivier's description, the scene depicts Egyptians dancing a war dance and a more sensual dance.

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  Map of Sidon.

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  Map of Syria, Mesopotamia and part of Persia.

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  Women from Kimolos.

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  Map of the bay of Souda in Crete.

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  Map of Santorini.

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  Map of Milos, Kimolos and Polyaigos islands.

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  Map of Moudania bay with the town of Gemlik.

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  Map of Bosphorus area.

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  Map of Greece with the Aegean islands, and of Asia Minor.

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  Title page.