Armenian women of Palestine in traditional dress

The photograph shows Armenian women living in Palestine at the beginning of the 20th century. They wear traditional Armenian costumes, which had been preserved in the émigré communities even far from the homeland.

The standing woman holds a clay jug on her shoulder, and the seated woman has a basket on her knees. Both wear long embroidered dresses and headscarves, necklaces and bracelets, with metal ornaments on their headscarves.

The Armenian community of Palestine took shape after the Genocide and became an important centre for the preservation of Armenian culture in the Middle East.