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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Free Photo Restoration & Date Old Photographs => Topic started by: C_W on Sunday 07 February 16 17:15 GMT (UK)
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I have been given copies of an old photo album for my Gt Gt Grandfather - William Gill. He was a Civil Engineer.
Graces Guide website have a really good account of his working life. Between 1863 and 1880 he worked on many railways in Peru, Sardina and Brazil, but I'm not sure if this photo looks like either place and time.
Thank you for any ideas.
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Looks almost like a scene from an old epic movie!
Clearly it's not Europe, though the roof covering in the foreground looks like bracken.
People look dark- skinned.
Long robes and covered heads a bit in contrast with the scattering of large- brimmed hats. Maybe sombrero type hats, so perhaps South America.
If it is a workers' camp, I'm wondering why they are in long cloaks etc, unless these are blanket/ poncho garments.
Can't clearly see the sheep/ goats in the centre of the crowd but I bet they would provide a clue as to which country.
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If it is a workers' camp, I'm wondering why they are in long cloaks etc, unless these are blanket/ poncho garments.
Can't clearly see the sheep/ goats in the centre of the crowd but I bet they would provide a clue as to which country.
Fascinating photo!
I see it as a market rather than a workers' camp. The animals look like horses and goats or burros to me. If its in South America I see it as Brazil rather than Peru.
sami
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The thing I found strange is the amount of vegetation and particularly the building behind the tree looks like a permanent structure.
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Mining, East Africa?
Skoosh.
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Yes, that would make sense if it were mining. In 1880 William Gill became Manager of the Orconera Iron Ore Co in Bilbao.
Do you think this photo would be before 1880?
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Definitely looks like Africa to me. It's a market.
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It is a wonderfully detailed photo
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What super detail in the enlargements!
Now the men look African, definitely. Their heads and hair.
At the risk of making a generalisation about ethnic characteristics, they look tall and long- limbed like Ethiopians or Somalis.
Along with the big hats, I'd say that the style of those big pots would give a clue, if we had an expert in ceramics on RChat.
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Looks more like north Africa to me.
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I lived in E. Africa for many years, and have visited W. and S. Africa, so my first impression was Africa somewhere.
Clues .... probably high altitude, therefore chilly enough to warrant the blankets. Ethiopia perhaps ?
The style of pots is not one I recognise .... will get out some books in a minute .... but each area makes very distinctive pots.
A market somewhere ? Are there no woman or children present ? That might also be a clue ....
The tall hats are a mystery ....
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Are there no woman or children present ?
There are women examining the plates and pots; I suspect that there are women under the tall hats too; there are children in left foreground, another in the centre in front of the mules.
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(Should have gone to spec-savers !)
I've searched all my books on African crafts (and I do have a lot !) and can find no pots like those.
I still stick with my thought that with all those clothes/blankets on the people, this must be a chilly place, so if not Africa, how about somewhere in S. America ?
I had a sudden thought ... how about Lesotho ??
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I was looking at Lesotho earlier on - the Basuto certainly have that kind of traditional hat
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/e3/a9/07/e3a907063f3cc6831559a698e30d638a.jpg
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From what Shaun says about the hats, it looks as if it is Lesotho ?
would that fit in with the man in question and his work?
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Thank you everyone for your thoughts and import, that's really interesting.
This is a fascinating collection of photos I have been sent. There are a few more I will post if that's okay for members help.
Thank you again
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So atmospheric...love it.
Carol
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Africa probably. But horses are not suitable in all parts of Africa. The man standing on the very left of the left-right "road" looks like a policeman with white helmet. He is with a group of horses on the very right edge of the photograph.
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Do you mean this chap Barry?
He's not very left or very right, he's almost in the centre of the picture
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Yes that's him. I was a bit off in my positioning. Good image of him.
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Good evening,
To me the hats are Portugese so one of the following places.
Angola
Mozambique
Guinea-Bissau
Cape Verde
Sao Tome and Principe
Equatorial Guinea
John915
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What a great photo! I just checked Wm Gill www.gracesguide.co.uk/William_Gill. I say this is Caucasus region.
I would focus on identifying the tall cream colored brimmed hats because they are so unique. They look like a fez with very wide brims made from a fiber-woven textile.
My guess is this is a market day in high-ish altitude because there appears to be a dusting of snow. The functional features of their headgear indicates the need for heat/sun/wind protection.
Your library might have Encyclopedia of national dress : traditional clothing around the world by Jill Condra or The Worldwide History of Dress by Patricia R. Anawalt. Both books have a lot of photos and illustrations. I do not own copies or I would look for you.
Additional observations:
1. I see 3 types of headgear a. headwraps b. a form of skullcap and c. brimmed fez
2. Several men have large round black/brown pots with a large circular opening and protrusions that look like feet. The vessels appear too uniform to be handmade. That means your photo was taken during of after the western industrial revolution which aligns with the biography timeline of your relative being in the Caucusus circa 1870.
3. A few men are carrying bundles of sticks on their backs. Perhaps kindling for building a fire.
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Firstly I am going to say I have no idea where this is or what race the people are, but I tend to agree with Minnesotian.
The hats looked very like those foundby Shaun in Lesotho, but I think these might be larger, and the brims wider.
My first thought was that the faces looked Indian or Afghani, so I am wondering if the Caucasus region might be possible? Somewhere around that region anyway. ;)
Is there perhaps a clue in the style of the house?
Fabulous photo.
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Can anyone identfy the bunch of tuberous vegetables one woman is holding? She is close to the stick shelter in the center foreground. They are about 10 inches long and remind me of Chinese artichokes. She is looking down but she is facing the photographer.
Also the stick shelter she is near, there are several ferns (I think) piled on the left corner of the thatch roof. I don't believe ferns grow in arid climates and as far as I know they also favor cool weather.
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Two points:
Is it possible to get a closer look at the trees? maybe the species would then give a clue to the region.
What are those large, round, flat dish- type things near the pots? Are they ceramic? they don't look to have any mesh but if they did they would suggest sieves or raddles.
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I am now thinking that this could be a Berber market in the Atlas mountains. The robes, the hats, the packhorses and mules, the physical appearance of the people, would all fit.
Perhaps William took a trip across to Morocco while he was based in Spain.
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Minnisotan,
The fern looks like bracken (or something similar). Apparently it grows almost everywhere in the world except deserts and Antarctica .... :-\
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Hi, It's great to hear everyone's ideas.
Reading his obituary on Graces Guide, I think it's possible he travelled anywhere! However I haven't been able to find any travel records apart from to Spain.
Thanks
C_W
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I'm glad I thought of Lesotho earlier (pats self on the back !) but now consider the Atlas mountains a strong possibility. The style of hats would fit, and also the altitude .... the Atlas can be very cold.
I await any other photos from the album !!