Taken in the early 1900s, this photo shows travelers in Damascus's Cemetery of the Meidan on horseback. Once considered a pilgrimage site and often used by families as a picnic location, it is largely abandoned now.
Throughout history, cemeteries like this one have been a point of contention between orthodox and "popular" strands of Islam that incorporated rituals and beliefs beyond those defined by Islamic legal doctrine. Because they were places of congregation and posed significant challenges to enforcing social norms -- particularly norms related to gender segregation -- they often became associated with iconoclast or subversive religious movements. In a way, cemeteries were "in between" spaces -- in between the dead and the living, and in between freedom and social control.
Library of Congress
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WINSTON BLAKE
7:26 PM ET
August 5, 2011
Photo essay of my own...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2qAFaev6pc
MYSTIKIEL
8:45 PM ET
August 7, 2011
The photo at page 4 of this essay
is a stereoscope image, which were quite in vogue around the turn of the century. If you scale down the image in your browser you can view it in 3D, using the same technique used for viewing 3d "magic dot" pictures - try to focus your eyes past the level of the image, so that the two images overlap and become superimposed in your vision.
ARNAOLDANNO
12:04 AM ET
September 6, 2011
beautiful ancient city
Very beautiful ancient city. I'd like to visit Damascus. Only time will need to choose quieter. Photos are very luxurious - I'll make them 3D wallpaper for my desktop
QUERTHE
11:03 AM ET
August 8, 2011
I would love to visit
I would love to visit Damaskus before my life ends. Hopefully I will manage it.
Anyway thanks for this great article with lovely old photos!
Regards
Matthew Lorty
HAFIZI84
11:53 AM ET
September 5, 2011
unique of Damascus
Great history of Damascus..Really awesome.Thanks for this article.apple iphone 5
JOHNNY23
5:02 PM ET
September 19, 2011
Wow.
Amazing pictures of Damascus. Its amazing to think how much that city has seen, so many wars, so many stories... but so much history!
Bill,
stink bugs
NORMAN
7:27 AM ET
September 23, 2011
Damascus
The city of Damascus has indeed a troublesome history. However, these pictures evoke times of relative calmness and even somewhat romanticism. I would have really liked to visit the city in those days, although I wouldn't pass on this occasion even today. asigurare locuinta
JEFFERSONMAN
11:51 PM ET
September 30, 2011
Borrowed time
I look at these photos and i see a beautiful city, however according to Isaiah 17:1, Damascus will be gone one day soon. Still though, a beautiful city