'Group of the Reigning Family of the Lahej District'. Photographer: Unknown [‎156a] (1/1)

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Genre/Subject Matter:

This group portrait shows males of the family of the Sultan of Lahej, members of the Abdali tribe who, prior to its annexation for the British by Captain Stafford Bettesworth Haines in 1839, had been rulers of Aden. The Abdali tribe at large is described as numbering 8000 souls, of which 800 are ‘fighting men’ (p. 156).

At the time of publication, the area controlled by the Sultan is described as being ‘33 miles long by 8 broad, lying in a north-north-westerly direction from Aden’. The Sultan and family were said to have resided at the capital of Lahej, ‘Al-Hautah […] situated about 21 miles from the barrier-gate’ (p. 155).

During the period 1839–1870s, the Abdali Sultanate of Lahej gradually became more dependent on Aden’s British governors: at the time of publication, Hunter notes that their stipend, 6,492 German crowns per annum, was over three times greater than that paid to any of the other tribes neighbouring Aden. Similarly, and perhaps as a result, relations were good between the British at Aden and the Sultans of Lahej. Mercer describes the Abdali as ‘the most civilised but least warlike of all the tribes in south-western Arabia. […] Since the accession of the present Sultan no cause of disagreement has arisen between the British Government and this tribe.’ (pp. 155–56).

Here, unlike the other individual portraits featured in this volume, whose portraits were taken indoors, the men and boys are posed before a plain hung backdrop that is stretched between the trunks of two palm trees. A woven carpet is placed beneath their feet and is visible in the foreground.

All nine figures wear robes and turbans of richly embroidered or woven cloth – some likely silk and many of which feature paisley/ boteh patterns, intricately embroidered edges or multi-strand tasselled edges. All of the robes that are visible are collarless and are held together across the chest with multiple small buttons, perhaps silk knots. The man seated second from the left appears to have the word ‘[?]سلطان’ ‘Sultan[?]’ embroidered on the right-hand chest area of his robe.

The four seated men and the boy kneeling before them hold dress swords whose scabbards feature finely worked repoussé, chasing and broaching as well as what appears to be inlay. The two seated men at centre left and right each wear a janbiya – the curved dagger that is traditionally worn at the waist in Yemen and other Arab countries. Several of the men are wearing rings, which may be signet rings, for example, the large disc-shaped ring worn by the seated man second from right. The same man is wearing a badge on the left-hand chest area of his robe. Although it is impossible to identify this badge, it would appear to be some form of honorary insignia of European – mostly likely British – origin.

Inscriptions:

In pencil, upper left corner adjacent to print: ‘14’

Extent and format

1 albumen Method of printing photographs using an emulsion of salt and egg white (albumen). print

Physical characteristics

Dimensions:

173 x 220 mm [portrait]

Format:

1 albumen Method of printing photographs using an emulsion of salt and egg white (albumen). print pasted to backing paper and mounted, folded, between pp. 156–57

Materials:

Silver printing-out paper, albumen Method of printing photographs using an emulsion of salt and egg white (albumen). print

Condition:

The print is unevenly hand-cut. There is significant toning at all edges, extending inwards towards and along the central fold. Some tracing marks are evident along the right-hand edge. Spot staining originating in the printing phase are evident in the upper right corner, while three white spots are evident in the lower left corner.

Foliation:

‘14’

Process:

Albumen Method of printing photographs using an emulsion of salt and egg white (albumen). print

Written in

English in Latin script

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