Şemse comes from the Arabic word "şems", meaning "sun". Most time covers of Ottoman books (either prints or handwritten manuscripts) are decorated with reliefs called şemse made via cold or hot pressure/stamps. They are not round as the sun, rather oval reliefs sharpening on the upper and lower edges. The reason putting the sun on the book covers are commented by some researchers that the books were seen as "irfan güneşi", "sun of wisdom and knowledge". ngurelman
