ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ ΠΑΣΠΑΤΗΣ (Alexandre Paspati ): Études sur les Tchinghianés ou Bohémiens de l'Empire Ottoman.Constantinople Imprimerie Koromila 1870 First edition,contemporary leather over cloth,a nice Levantine binding,spine richly gilt with oriental design,slightly trimmed,text clean and bright,complete 651p.,overall in very good condition A seminal work in the fields of linguistics and ethnography I was the very first comprehensive and scientific account on the Romani people, is still considered one of the most important works in the history of Romani studies.Paspates (1814-1891) was a fascinating figure,a survivor of the Chios Massacre, who was educated in the United States before returning to Constantinople to practice medicine.A prominent figure of the Greek community of Constantinople his medical rounds in the poorer quarters of the Ottoman capital gave him unprecedented access to marginalized communities. Paspates was among the first to systematically prove, through an exhaustive comparison of dialects, the Indian origin of the Romani people. He documented the grammar and vocabulary of the Ottoman Tchinghianés with the precision of a modern linguist. The book contains a priceless collection of Romani fairy tales, songs, and traditions, recorded directly from his patients and contacts in the slums of Constantinople.He noted carefully how Romani communities adapted historically in the Levant to the dominant religions while maintaining their own unique traditions.A fine account by a leading Greek of Constantinople,published in Constantinople