Schepen (dahabies) aan een kade in Aswan c. 1870 - 1890

This photograph of dahabies on a quay in Aswan was taken by C. & G. Zangaki, using the wet collodion process. The sepia tones and soft focus of the photograph highlight the material qualities of the print itself, a physical object created through a complex chemical process. Photography in this period was tied to European expansion, often used to document and market colonized lands. The Zangaki brothers, of Greek origin but based in Egypt, catered to the tourist trade, offering views of a seemingly timeless and exotic land. But the image also speaks to a more local economy. The dahabies, traditional passenger boats, are central to the scene, suggesting a focus on trade and transport along the Nile. Consider the labor involved in building and maintaining these vessels, the skills passed down through generations. By considering the materiality and the processes of production, we gain a deeper understanding of the social and cultural context in which this image was created.