Rice Field. Samarkand

1905
Irrigated rice fields thrived in the oasis setting of Samarkand, fed by the Zeravshan River, which has its origins in the Pamir Mountains of Tajikistan. Seen here is an irrigated field with rectangular plots, bordered in the distance with plane trees. The flooding of the fields reduced weeds and pests. Rice was an important part of the local diet in dishes such as pilaf. The image is by Russian photographer Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii (1863–1944), who used a special color photography process to create a visual record of the Russian Empire in the early 20th century. Some of Prokudin-Gorskii’s photographs date from about 1905, but the bulk of his work is from between 1909 and 1915, when, with the support of Tsar Nicholas II and the Ministry of Transportation, he undertook extended trips through many different parts of the empire. Prokudin-Gorskii was particularly interested in recently acquired territories of the Russian Empire such as Turkestan (present-day Uzbekistan and neighboring states), which he visited on a number of occasions, including two trips in 1911. Turkestan appealed to him not only for its Islamic architecture but also for scenes from traditional life in cities such as Samarkand. Russian forces took Samarkand in 1868, and in 1886 Samarkand became the capital of an oblast within Turkestan. Two years later the Trans-Caspian Railway reached the city.

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Filename: 5746.jpg
Copyright: acku Afghanistan
Image Size: 1800x1651 / 537.5KB; 1905 Uzbekistan Samarqand Samarkand Rice Fields Rice Paddies Plane Trees Irrigation Photo WDL 010405
Contained in galleries: UZBEKISTAN

1905<br />
Irrigated rice fields thrived in the oasis setting of Samarkand, fed by the Zeravshan River, which has its origins in the Pamir Mountains of Tajikistan. Seen here is an irrigated field with rectangular plots, bordered in the distance with plane trees. The flooding of the fields reduced weeds and pests. Rice was an important part of the local diet in dishes such as pilaf. The image is by Russian photographer Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii (1863–1944), who used a special color photography process to create a visual record of the Russian Empire in the early 20th century. Some of Prokudin-Gorskii’s photographs date from about 1905, but the bulk of his work is from between 1909 and 1915, when, with the support of Tsar Nicholas II and the Ministry of Transportation, he undertook extended trips through many different parts of the empire. Prokudin-Gorskii was particularly interested in recently acquired territories of the Russian Empire such as Turkestan (present-day Uzbekistan and neighboring states), which he visited on a number of occasions, including two trips in 1911. Turkestan appealed to him not only for its Islamic architecture but also for scenes from traditional life in cities such as Samarkand. Russian forces took Samarkand in 1868, and in 1886 Samarkand became the capital of an oblast within Turkestan. Two years later the Trans-Caspian Railway reached the city.