The Index of Zeher was likely created by a team of skilled clerks and archivists, under the supervision of the Ottoman Empire's chief archivist, Zeher Effendi. The index was designed to provide a comprehensive and systematic catalog of all documents and records stored in the Ottoman Empire's archives. It was organized alphabetically, with entries grouped by subject, date, and document type.
However, with the advancement of digital technologies, new opportunities have emerged for researchers to access and study the Index of Zeher. Digital facsimiles of the index have been created, allowing researchers to study and analyze the document remotely. Furthermore, ongoing efforts to transcribe and translate the index into modern languages are underway, making it more accessible to a wider range of researchers.
The Index of Zeher is a massive catalog, comprising thousands of entries that cover a wide range of topics, including politics, administration, economy, law, and culture. The index is written in Ottoman Turkish, using the Arabic script, and consists of several volumes, each containing hundreds of pages.