An Armenian Family from Adapazar

This archival photograph shows an Armenian family from the city of Adapazar in the Ottoman Empire.

Two women in dark dresses with puffed sleeves and necklaces each hold a baby in their arms. Between them stands a small child in a dress with a lace collar and a bead necklace. The children’s clothes are carefully chosen, and everyone’s gaze is calm.

Such photographs are rare records that preserve the memory of Western Armenian communities: their daily life, culture and identity.