For the most part, the Archival Photographs show ordinary people going about their lives –
A Kyrgyz family sharing a meal outside their tent; a young boy happily clutching a huge melon; weary cameleers resting with their caravan by an ancient mosque; a typical street scene in old Samarkand; men having tea in an outdoor chaikhana (teahouse).
These are the images that transport us back to the Central Asia that was.
Many of the period photographs, illustrations, and maps in this Archive are from Susan Meller’s collection. Some appear in Silk and Cotton, but most have not been reproduced in any of her books.
They are available for reproduction upon request. A one-time fee is charged based on usage.
A high-resolution file will be provided.