100 years of the first color images of Armenia

I photographed a Prokudin-Gorskii in Armenia? This question can be answered in monosyllables. On the territory of the modern Republic of Armenia - no. On the territory of historical Armenia - yes.
Exactly 100 years ago, at the end of March 1912 (April, new style), he traveled to Batumi Artvinsky County area. Then it was the edge of the Russian Empire, just outside the city began a different empire - the Ottoman.
Here, the pioneer of Russian color photography captures images of local people against violent nature of this land.
"Armenian women (Catholic) in the usual costume." Artvin, 1912:

The original settlement
The restoration of the image (and the majority of the following) - mine.


To readers it was easier to imagine the scene, I suggest a look at this map:

The area to the left of the purple border belonged to the Russian Empire in 1878, but in 1920 it was invaded by Turkish troops in 1921 the RSFSR and the Transcaucasian Soviet republics were forced to acknowledge its annexation by Turkey (according to the Moscow and Kars treaties). In 1945-53. The USSR was trying to diplomatically dobitsya return of these lands, but after the entry of Turkey into NATO and the death of Stalin officially declined further territorial claims.
By the time of travel Prokudin-Gorsky Artvinsky district was multicultural edge, where the Armenians were menshinstvo. They prevailed only in the Artvin.
Here is what wrote about the city in the Encyclopedic Dictionary Brockhaus and Efron:
"Artvin (Turk. Lebanon) - a district town of Kutaisi Province., 8000 inhabitants., On the left bank of the Coruh, at 80. From Batum. Gorge so narrow that the buildings clung to the mountains and the difference of level between the upper and lower part of the city more than 700 m Pravoslav. and in Armenian-Catholic. church, mostly residents of the Armenian-Catholic confession, according to local legend, their ancestors emigrated from Ani, the ancient capital of Armenia. in the town and surrounding villages, extensive orchards and olive groves. Post to Batum on the skiff (flat-bottomed boats) on the Coruh river rapid. "

The city is surrounded by mountains was very beautiful:

The original settlement
Rail link to Artvin was not, Prokudin-Gorsky to get here on horseback.
I think readers will be interested to know some details of this fotoekspeditsii firsthand.
Recently, the archives of the Russian Geographical Society was found a letter Prokudin-Gorsky sent from Batum March 30, 1912 the researcher to the Black Sea coast, a member of the RGS, Nikolai Vorobiev. Here are excerpts from it: "My job is moving, but not as fast as I would like - a big obstacle for the rains. On his arrival [in Batumi], which was 20, I went the next day the horses in the Artvin - a lot of shooting on the way. In the Artvin three consecutive days was a snowstorm and rain, then turned out to be a very good day, I did a lot of good shots, then came the windy storm. I wanted to be on the way back to the British brass mills, but on the advice of experienced people put it in August when the weather is stable. Out of Artvin Charohu I went down into the canyon and back to Batum 28. ». (Source - Russian Empire Prokudin-Gorskii. 1905-1916. Album. S.Garanina).

"St. George Street in Artvin":

The original settlement
This picture in the album from Prokudin-Gorsky was erroneously signed as "East of the Tiflis Botanical mountain slopes," but I was able to determine that in fact this is also Artvin:

The original settlement
It was found that this species is very fond of the publishers of postcards:


Unfortunately, much of the images taken Prokudin-Gorsky in the Batumi region in 1912, disappeared without a trace. In recent years, some of them have become known to us by name, others - by author reprodutsiyam printed in the book, AN Krasnov, "South Colchis" 1915 edition.
For example, a spectacular shot of the canyon Chorokhi this book, the film is not preserved:

.
Armenian women in holiday attire. Artvin:

The original settlement
With this snapshot from Prokudin-Gorsky's also got an error - an album he was glued to the signature of "Georgian woman in national costume."

The first general census of the Russian Empire in 1897 showed the following data on the ethnic composition Artvinskogo District ( data here) :
Lived in the district of 56,140 people.
Armenians - 7819
Great: 308
Little Russians: 714
Belarus: 4
Poles: 21
Germans: 13
Greeks: 67
Persians: 2
112 Kurds
Ossetians: 1
Georgians: 5506
Imeretians: 15
Abkhazians: 6
Tatars: 5
Turks: 41,468
Others: 79
Thus, the Turks were in the county is still the majority. How to write AN Krasnov vysheupomnyanutoy in the book, they lived quite separate lives, nothing is perceived by the Russian and hoped for the return of the territory of the Ottoman Empire.
In the Artvin Turks were also quite a lot in the city there were two mosques.
"Mullah Artomelinskoy with schoolgirls at a mosque in Artvin":

The original settlement
Mysterious nzvanie mosque "Artomelinskaya" apparently given by the author on the perceived comprehension name in Artvin district where it was (in Turkish, "Horta Melle" - "The middle part" of the city).

Although the Kurds in Artvinskom okrguge, according to the census, lived quite a bit, Prokudin-Gorskii devoted to them at least two pictures:


"The Kurdish woman with children. Kvartshana near the village":

The original settlement

Russian colonists in Artvinskom district was not enough. However, there was a military garrison, which had its own church,
"The first Russian church in Artvin":

The original settlement
In the photo captured the church with the 1st battalion of the Kuban bellies in the name of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul at the time of the completion of its construction.
March (when the battalion), the church was founded in 1875, it originally housed in one room of the barracks building regiment. In May 1913 the regiment was consecrated a temple (as a military church) at the expense of the treasury. The age of this temple was very short-lived - as early as 1914, Turkish troops have entered Artvin.

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Lake Sorvagsvatn the Faroe Islands ...

Lake Sorvagsvatn or Leytisvatn, as it is sometimes called, is the largest lake in the Faroe Islands and is located on the island of Vagar. He has his own mystery, because what you see in the pictures, it is not true ... That's what I'll tell you later in the article!





The lake covers an area of 3.4 square kilometers, more than three times the size of the second largest lake Fyallavatn, which is also located on the island of Vagar.

Sorvagsvatn of course, is not one of the largest lakes in the world, but nevertheless, has the status of the largest in the Faroe Islands. Headlands on either side of the lake rises to 252 and 376 meters and a length of 6 kilometers Sorvagsvatn. The water goes into the ocean through the waterfall of the same name, which can be considered as only from afar.

Two names from the lake because there are two villages located nearby. Residents of each of them want to, it was called in their honor. It seems strange that it was called.

Sorvagsvatn, despite the fact that Leytisvatn is much closer. The reason for this age of the settlement, which was founded much earlier.

And now the fun part ... The picture you saw the first picture is an optical illusion. It seems that the lake is situated well above sea level, in reality, it is only 30 meters above. In this very rock, where it is located rises to as much as 100 meters. Camera position and angle of shooting would have us believe that the lake is at the same height as the cliff ...

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Tikal - the largest city of the Maya ...

Tikal - ancient Mayan city, located in what is now Guatemala. This is one of the largest centers dokolumbiyskoy Mayan civilization, culminating in 700 AD. While most structures were built in the period from 600 to 900 AD, there is also the ruins of structures related to the 400 years before our era ...

Tikal - the object that is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the ruins include five large temples, pyramids, and numerous tombs, graves and burial, and other structures. In total there are about three thousand different structures.

In recent years there has been running a large-scale restoration, initiated by the Government of Guatemala and the University of Pennsylvania. It was restored a number of very important monuments that were threatened with extinction are listed in order of all the other structures. The restoration continues to this day.

Together with the neighboring territories, Tikal was renamed the country's authorities to the National Park. These places are carefully guarded, and maintained in excellent order.

For Star Wars fans will be familiar to those places, as it is here that there were shooting an episode of the fourth film, but the ruins were used as the base of the rebels.

Getting here is easy from the nearby towns - Flores and Guatemala City. They also can stop by selecting suitable accommodation for themselves.

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London 1940 in color

On the night of October 14, 1940 a bomb exploded near a metro station Belem, killing 68 people. Bus number 88 fell into the crater.


Double-decker bus was still visible on the background of torn asphalt and curved beams

London roads are deserted and covered with debris after the air raid

Firefighters are struggling to cope with the fire arose after a direct bomb hit in dom.1940

Working in central London are trying to clear the ruins near the church after a massive air raid

Workers remove rubble and debris from the collapsed building

Symbol of resistance Brits - the Parliament building on a sunny day

Destroyed by a London district

View of the Old Bailey and the effects of German air raids

A man tries to keep a sense of normality, reading a book on a park bench

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5 - update mirrorless camera

New from Panasonic called the Lumix DMC-GF5 got a replacement camera Lumix DMC-GF3, and apparently they are practically does not differ. All the difference in the specifications mirrorless camera. The device is facilitated by 34 grams, the weight is now 230 grams, the maximum sensitivity of ISO 12800 enhanced mode, 3-inch touchscreen LCD-display with a resolution of 922,000 pixels (versus 460,000), autofocus, triggered after 0.09 seconds, the video in 1080p resolution at 60 f / s in the format of AVCHD, stereo, and an improved interface. The only thing worse - is the work of the battery. If a previous version of the camera could have been done 340 shots, but now only 320. No change was only a 12.1 Megapixel Live MOS sensor standard Micro 4/3. The camera will be available in black, white and red colors at a price of $ 600 for the "body" version, or $ 750 for the version with zoom lens 14-42 mm.

Source: dpreview

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The most dangerous resorts worldwide

Many global insurance and travel agencies annually prepare and update the list of worst holiday tourist resorts. In compiling these lists take into account the number of accidents, robberies, scams, and poisoning. Not the last role play responses of tourists who have visited certain resorts. Today, we use a list of insurance companies in Britain, which took into account the views of more than 60,000 holiday-makers, and tell you about the worst of the six resorts in the world.

A. Thailand

The country, which is "famous" road accidents, theft and poisoning among tourists.
The insurance company recommends that all travelers who risked travel to Thailand, do not walk on the strange excursions, not to sit down to taxi drivers with whom you have not previously agreed on the final point of its travel and cost. There will also be useful to carry a card with a plan to get to your hotel.
As in other exotic locations in Thailand, it is better not to drink tap water. Wash fruits and it is recommended to brush your teeth, too, only the purchase of bottled water.

Two. South Africa

In South Africa, you may experience a high level of crime among the population. Do not forget that even on the way to the hotel. The insurance company also recommends the abolition of travel Kettlhong, Johannesburg, Alexander Bay, Hillbro and Soweto.

Three. Snake Island (off the coast of Brazil)
It is not hard to guess what might be expected in this tourist resort. For every square meter of the island for about five poisonous snakes. Snake Bite kopegolovoy threatens you, and necrosis of tissues of the body of imminent death. Despite all this, the annual Snake Island is visited by hundreds of tourists - fans of extreme relaxation.

4. Barbados.
In general, this is not already an unfavorable resort. However, given the large number of poisonous insects, and the inhabitants of water (sharks and rays), an insurance company in Britain is still recommends that you refrain from a trip to Barbados. Other barriers to travel to the island the company does not see.
So if you are not afraid of insects, try to avoid meeting with the sharks - swim only in strictly designated civilized beaches.

Five. India.
To bathe in the waters of India is strictly prohibited, as well as to use tap water. For washing and washing fruits need to buy bottled water. There are also a lot of poisonous insects. Before the trip to India, it is desirable to be vaccinated against various diseases.

6. Cuba.
In this country thrives addiction. Tourists are also at risk of contracting sexually transmitted disease or become a victim of thieves.

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