Flowering Apricot Tree in the Emir's Shir-Budung Garden. Samarkand

1905
This photograph shows apricot trees that have begun to flower at the Shir-Budun Park of the Emir near Bukhara (present-day Uzbekistan). Although often associated with ancient Armenia, the origins of apricot cultivation remain unclear. Apricots were known in Persia several centuries BCE, and their presence may be as old in Central Asia. To this day Uzbekistan is one of the world’s largest producers of apricots, as the region’s cold winters and dry climate are conducive to proper maturation of the fruit. The flowers have five petals and appear in early spring. In the background of this view is a large stone wall to protect the valuable trees. Also located in the park was the palace of the emir. 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. In 1911 he made two trips to an area of Central Asia then known as Turkestan (present-day Uzbekistan and neighboring states). There he photographed not only architectural monuments but also scenes of local nature.

Add to Lightbox Download

Filename: 5807.jpg
Copyright: acku Afghanistan
Image Size: 1800x1630 / 946.2KB; 1905 Uzbekistan Samarqand Samarkand Apricot Trees Shir-Budung Gardens Petals Flowers Photo WDL 010465
Contained in galleries: UZBEKISTAN

1905<br />
This photograph shows apricot trees that have begun to flower at the Shir-Budun Park of the Emir near Bukhara (present-day Uzbekistan). Although often associated with ancient Armenia, the origins of apricot cultivation remain unclear. Apricots were known in Persia several centuries BCE, and their presence may be as old in Central Asia. To this day Uzbekistan is one of the world’s largest producers of apricots, as the region’s cold winters and dry climate are conducive to proper maturation of the fruit. The flowers have five petals and appear in early spring. In the background of this view is a large stone wall to protect the valuable trees. Also located in the park was the palace of the emir. 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. In 1911 he made two trips to an area of Central Asia then known as Turkestan (present-day Uzbekistan and neighboring states). There he photographed not only architectural monuments but also scenes of local nature.