On the Siab River. Samarkand

1905
This bucolic view was taken in September 1911 along the Siab River (“black water”), on the northern outskirts of Samarkand. The small river runs near the ancient settlement of Afrasiab, which is known to have existed at least 2,500 years ago. On the right a simple wooden bridge leads to road bordered with a low wall on the far bank. Above the road is a high adobe wall, enclosing the courtyard of a compound of dwellings. Trees in fall colors are grouped along the river bank and on the horizon. Near the bridge is a seated figure in a bright red robe. 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. Turkestan appealed to him not only for its Islamic architecture but also for scenes from traditional life in cities such as Samarkand.

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Filename: 5814.jpg
Copyright: acku Afghanistan
Image Size: 1800x1642 / 563.3KB; 1905 Uzbekistan Samarqand Samarkand Siab River Bridges Rivers Trees Photo WDL 010472
Contained in galleries: UZBEKISTAN

1905<br />
This bucolic view was taken in September 1911 along the Siab River (“black water”), on the northern outskirts of Samarkand. The small river runs near the ancient settlement of Afrasiab, which is known to have existed at least 2,500 years ago. On the right a simple wooden bridge leads to road bordered with a low wall on the far bank. Above the road is a high adobe wall, enclosing the courtyard of a compound of dwellings. Trees in fall colors are grouped along the river bank and on the horizon. Near the bridge is a seated figure in a bright red robe. 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. Turkestan appealed to him not only for its Islamic architecture but also for scenes from traditional life in cities such as Samarkand.