Two Men near Stone Structure, Yurt in Background

1905
This photograph shows two men of the Teke ethnic group near the Murgab Oasis in the region of Bayramaly (present-day Turkmenistan). The oasis takes its name from the Murgab River, which flows from Afghanistan into Turkmenistan and forms part of the border between the two countries. The men are wearing high sheepskin hats and traditional robes of dark red. The seated man has a dagger tucked in his belt. Next to the men are outdoor pits for cooking pilaf in iron containers. Pilaf, or plov, is a dish known throughout Central Asia and consists of rice mixed with meat or vegetables and dried fruit. On the left is part of an irrigation canal, newly dug for the purpose of cultivating cotton. In the background, to the right, is a yurt made from reeds, with a felt roof cover. 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 examples of traditional culture.

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Filename: 6554.jpg
Copyright: acku Afghanistan
Image Size: 1800x1678 / 627.3KB; 1905 Turkmenistan Men Stonework Yurts Fields Photo WDL 010589
Contained in galleries: TURKMENISTAN

1905<br />
This photograph shows two men of the Teke ethnic group near the Murgab Oasis in the region of Bayramaly (present-day Turkmenistan). The oasis takes its name from the Murgab River, which flows from Afghanistan into Turkmenistan and forms part of the border between the two countries. The men are wearing high sheepskin hats and traditional robes of dark red. The seated man has a dagger tucked in his belt. Next to the men are outdoor pits for cooking pilaf in iron containers. Pilaf, or plov, is a dish known throughout Central Asia and consists of rice mixed with meat or vegetables and dried fruit. On the left is part of an irrigation canal, newly dug for the purpose of cultivating cotton. In the background, to the right, is a yurt made from reeds, with a felt roof cover. 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 examples of traditional culture.