The word “odalisque” is French in form and originates from the Turkish odalık, meaning “chambermaid”, from oda, “chamber” or “room”. It can also be transliterated odahlic, odalisk, and odaliq.
Odalisque is a female slave assistant to concubines or wives, mostly in the Imperial Harem. Ranked of the lowest social status, if an odalisque was of extraordinary beauty or had exceptional talents in dancing or singing, she would be trained as a possible concubine. In the Ottoman Empire, concubines encountered the sultan only once—unless she was especially skilled in dance, singing, or the sexual arts, and thus gained his attention. If a concubine’s contact with the sultan resulted in the birth of a son, she would become one of his wives.
