Unusual and Interesting Photos from Around the World Taken in the 20th Century (21 photos)
I present to you a selection of colorized photographs that were taken in the early and mid-20th century and are a wonderful illustration of life in European countries at that time. 
Foraging An Aboriginal woman digs the ground in search of food near a Macrozamia palm tree, the nuts of which can be used to make flour. Australia, 1955. 
Photographer: Richard Harrington
A blacksmith's shop. Persia, 1902.
In 1935, Persia changed its name and became Iran. The Persians can be seen wearing slippers a la "Little Muk". The elongated and curved toe of the shoes was made so that the hem of the dress would not go under the shoe and people would not trip.
Women's shoes did not have this, but were smaller because women wore a fishnet petticoat, which stuck out the hem of the dress. 
Tourists at the Lower Falls in Yellowstone National Park, 1946. 
Photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt
Tree Top Hotel, Isiolo, Kenya 1964.
A hotel with a view of the wild for watching animals in their natural habitat. 
Four Indian porters carry a Western tourist in a palanquin. India, 1922.
A palanquin is a covered stretcher used as a carriage for the rich and noble in the East. 
A taxi station with local drivers and tourists. Istanbul, Turkey, 1936/1939.
Unfortunately, men don't dress like that even on special occasions these days... The photo might look like a still from a mafia movie. 
A British tourist arrives in Sudan, Africa, 1936. 
Bukovina. Women, 1916.
They mostly lived in the western regions of western Ukraine. During the period of incorporation of these territories into the Austro-Hungarian Empire, they were subjected to genocide. 
Capture of wild elephants. India, 1953. 
Photographer: Frank Horvath
Currency exchange. Palestine under the British Mandate, 1930s. 
A nurse at a health facility teaches rural women methods and forms of birth control. Iran, 1960s. 
A boy near a bunch of bananas hanging from a bush. Jamaica, 1900.
Well, it's not a bush, it's a banana tree. Although banana is a herb! Here is such a paradox... 
Sacred Jain temples. India, 1901.
On the hills of Palitana there are about 900 large and small temples, which can be divided into two groups: those built between the 11th and 12th centuries and temples of the 16th century. All the temples are designed in the shekhari style, the most common style of temple architecture in Western India, which is a variety of the nagara style. 
German animal trader and plantation owner John Hagenbeck and German zoologist Ludwig Heck with locals and an elephant. South Asia, 1931. John Hagenbeck also recruited people for human zoos in Europe. The last human zoo was closed in Holland in 1958. 
Porter with fish. Istanbul, 1964.
Decades ago, the Turkish metropolis was flooded with poor migrants from rural areas, many of whom joined the hordes of porters who crowded the crowded bazaars and wholesale warehouses. 
A balloon vendor in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1954
So sad for the balloon vendor in this photo, he looks desperately needy. 
Photographer Georg Oddner
Advertisement for gas stations in Turkey in the 1960s.
The adverts used to be interesting, although many of my subscribers saw the vulgarity in this photo. 
Lady and pay phone. 1980s. Bronx, New York. 
Photo: Ron Turner
Hagia Sophia. Istanbul, 1940s.
The most controversial cathedral/mosque in Istanbul. It was a mosque for 500 years after being a Christian temple built by Christians for almost 1,000 years. Both 500 years ago and now, Muslims use the law of the strong to take possession of other people's property.
In 2020, the current Turkish government again changed the status of the Hagia Sophia, making it a mosque again. 
Confession. Canada, 1955.
Jesuit priests hear confessions from Catholic pilgrims at the Church of the Martyrs near Midland.
The priest in the foreground has had enough, and is now struggling with professional burnout. Oh, it's hard work to love your neighbor, knowing him so well. 
Photograph: Bernie Schoenfield/Getty Images
