A 200-year-old manuscript from the Ottoman empire provides an eye-opening insight into the sex life of a wealthy sheikh.

With everything from wild orgies to sex on a tomb, the book contains 85 illustrated scenes showing vigorous sexual exploits of the 'Ottoman playboy'.

The unnamed playboy enjoys sexual relations with both men and women throughout the book.

He always wears the same distinctive turban of dark blue fabric and white cloth, suggesting he was rich and in the Sultan's inner circle.

The manuscript is set to go under the hammer later this month in London and could fetch as much as £350,000 ($500,000).

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A 200-year-old manuscript from the Ottoman empire provides an eye-opening insight into the frivolous activities of a wealthy sheikh. The X-rated book, the title of which loosely translates to 'A Shaykh Remembers his Youth', shows a variety of sexual scenes (pictured) in startling clarity

The X-rated book, the title of which loosely translates to 'A Shaykh Remembers his Youth', shows a variety of sexual scenes in startling clarity.

Sex in the book takes place everywhere, including in a hammam, a bakery and on the site of a tomb.

With homosexual acts just as prominent as heterosexual acts, the wealthy sheikh who commissioned the piece was far from shy about sharing his antics.

The book is considered one of the most lavishly illustrated erotic manuscripts in the world.

Of the many trysts depicted in the book, one noteworthy one shows ten moustache-bearing youths wearing next to nothing having sex in a circle.

It appears the spectacular feat was nothing unusual for the young Muslims.

The book shows in fascinating detail the use of Ottoman-era sex toys in groups of women, suggesting the book's several authors and artists were open-minded about such activity.

'This is top quality erotic illustration,' Chiara de Nicolais, Middle East specialist at Sotheby's, told The Times.

'It represents the long lifetime of an Ottoman playboy. We haven't been able to identify him, but there was a very clear code of dress in the Sultan's palace.

'Whoever he was, he was certainly influential in the court, and very, very rich. His type of turban suggests someone who was within the inner circle of the sultan.'

The main figure, always depicted wearing a white and blue turban, is seen in most of the book's explicit scenes.

'It's interesting because there is progression of age,' Ms de Nicolais said.

One of the pieces of artwork shows an older sheikh with a prostitute.

She can be seen counting coins on the floor while the sheikh is positioned behind her.

Set to go under the hammer later this month at Sotheby's in London, the journal is expected to fetch up to £350,000 ($500,000). The book is considered one of the most lavishly illustrated erotic manuscripts in the world

Lovingly created over several decades, the book documents the colourful sexual activity of an Islamic playboy. The promiscuous patron (pictured) expanded the manual to include further erotic works over the next 40 years

The promiscuous patron expanded the manual to include further erotic works over the next 40 years.

The 209-page manuscript, which measures 13 inches by 8.5 inches (33cm by 22cm) mentions three dates: 1779, 1799-1780 and 1817.

This indicates that the production of the book spanned the duration of the curator's youth as well as later years.

Text in the book mentions reference to the city of Shumna, today Shumen, in Bulgaria.

As well as showing the sexual prowess of a wealthy individual, the manuscript also offers an insight into the attitudes toward sexual activity in the late Ottoman empire.

The manual is in two sections - one depicting men's sexuality and the other's women.

In stark contrast to the rest of conservative Europe, erotic literature was popular throughout the Ottoman empire.

The 209-page manuscript, which measures 13 inches by 8.5 inches (33cm by 22cm) mentions three dates: 1779, 1799-1780 and 1817. This indicates that the production of the book spanned the duration of the curator's lifetime. It explores both male and female sexuality

Eighty-five separate sex scenes include homosexual and heterosexual activity. Open-mindedness was a pre-requisite for book's several authors and artists as it shows in fascinating detail the use of Ottoman-era sex toys in groups of women

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE? The Ottoman Empire originated in what is now modern-day Turkey in the late 13th century. At its peak it dominated much of south-east Europe and covered 2 million square miles (5.2 million square km). During the 16th and 17th centuries, at the height of its power under the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent, the Ottoman Empire was a multinational, multilingual empire. As well as engulfing south-east Europe, in also controlled vast swathes of land in Southeast Europe, parts of Central Europe, Western Asia, parts of Eastern Europe and the Caucasus North Africa and the Horn of Africa. With Constantinople as its capital and control of lands around the Mediterranean basin, the Ottoman Empire was at the centre of interactions between the west and the east for six centuries. The empire allied with Germany in the early 20th century, hoping to escape from the diplomatic isolation which had contributed to its recent territorial losses, and thus joined World War One on the side of the Central powers. After the allied forces defeated the Central powers in The Great War, the Turkish war of Independence in 1919-1922 saw the abolition of the Ottoman Empire. Advertisement

In the 16th century Ottoman society was generally open-minded about sex and then became more conservative in the 17th century.

By the 18th century however, there had been a sexual renaissance and the market for erotica blossomed once more.

In the Ottoman empire, gender was considered fluid and like many other extinct civilisations and cultures, homosexuality was commonplace.

Although this is a rare depiction of lesbian sex in Islamic art, erotic behaviour between several men was more normal.

Experts believe the publication was probably made to be shared among friends.

The figure pictured sitting cross-legged at the table features prominently throughout the entire book, always wearing the same distinct turban. it is believed he was the wealthy sheikh that commissioned the book

A shockingly candid glimpse at the frolicking of an unknown tycoon, the article is being viewed as one of the most lavishly illustrated erotic manuscripts in the world

The open-minded approach to sex in the 16th century became increasingly conservative in the 17th century. By the 18th century however, there had been a sexual renaissance and the market for erotica blossomed once more

The catalogue notes state: 'To understand fully the context in which these paintings were produced, it is necessary to note that gender was not considered a dichotomy in Ottoman Turkey.

'Three distinctive groups need to be identified when talking about sexuality: men, women and male youths.

'The man is at the centre of the encounter most of the time, but there are occasions where only male youths or women are the principal protagonists.

'There is fluidity in gender: youths will become men, and the main distinction within a sexual act lies between who is passive and who is active.'

Auctioneers expect the publication to be the star of the show at the Arts of the Islamic World sale at Sotheby’s on April 25.