Easter in Marash

The photograph shows the Easter gathering of an Armenian family in Marash in the last period of the Ottoman Empire. A long table is laid outdoors near trees; the white tablecloth is decorated with garlands of green branches, and on the table are plates, bottles and vases of flowers. Several generations have gathered around it: men in suits, women in light-coloured dresses and decorated wide-brimmed hats, and children.

The festive clothing, the decorated table and the shared presence testify to Easter as an important family and religious holiday, and to the preservation of Armenian life and Christian traditions in Marash until the tragic events of the early 20th century.