By establishing strong connections between the past and the present of ancient states, and by accepting the past as a reference point in shaping their future and traditions, the fundamental basis has undoubtedly been the archives, inscriptions, and unwritten traditions and practices they possess.
One of the most essential elements that holds nations together and brings them closer to one another is their historical and national consciousness. What shapes, sustains, and transmits this consciousness from generation to generation are the archives in which the historical documents and records of the state are registered and preserved.
From another perspective, archival documents are also records that reveal the success of states in their practices, their conception of civilization, and their diplomacy throughout historical processes.
Archives constitute the foundation of the collective memory that enables states or nations to establish a connection with their past. Indeed, archival documents are among the most important sources of information concerning the military, political, diplomatic, economic, legal, and social life of states, as well as their traditions and cultures.
Today in our country, various archives—most notably the Başbakanlık Osmanlı Arşivleri (Hazine-i Evrâk), the Vakıflar Genel Müdürlüğü Archive, the İstanbul Müftülüğü Şeriyye Sicilleri Archive, the Tapu ve Kadastro Genel Müdürlüğü Kuyud-ı Kadime Archive, and the Topkapı Sarayı Müzesi Archive—have survived to the present day thanks to this understanding.