Romani Bah Collection of material from the 'Fakultet' Gypsy Quarter [20th Century]

This collection consists of digital images of original photographs dating from the 20th century. The photographs were all taken in the Gypsy quarter of Sofia known as 'Fakultet'. They reflect the traditional culture of Sofia Gypsies and include portrait photographs, family and wedding photographs and photographs of ritual and everyday life. The original photographs have been stored in boxes and albums or hung on the walls of houses. They were identified and digitised with the assistance of the local Gypsy organisation Romani Bah. Fakultet is one of the biggest Gypsy quarters in Bulgaria, inhabited by Gypsy groups of 'erlii' and 'vlaxichki'. The Erlia Sofia Gypsies have been settled in the area for centuries (from the time of the Ottoman Empire); the Vlaxichki Gypsies settled in Sofia in the beginning of the 20th century.