Photo 1040(83)

Genre: Architectural Photography

Photographic copy of a watercolour, a view looking towards houses. Reproduced in W. S. A. Lockhart and R. G. Woodthorpe, 'The Gilgit Mission, 1885-86' (Eyre and Spottiswoode, London, 1889), facing p. 89, there captioned, 'Portion of Lutdih Village, on the right bank of the river.' 'Lutdih differs in plan from the villages above described. There are two villages really, one on either side of the river, but in neither is the enclosed square adopted. The smaller village, on the right bank, indeed, follows the plan of the square somewhat, but the houses do not form a continuous wall; they stand in groups with gaps between. In the large village, on the left bank, three sides of the square are fairly well marked by single rows of houses, with gaps at the corners; but the fourth side is lost in a confused mass of scattered houses, and groups of houses. In the centre of the village is a circular space with the sacrificial post in the centre, and the usual platform. On a small tongue of land jutting out into the river stands a strong tower of defence. A small and very neatly constructed cantilever bridge connects the two villages.' The Mission visited Lutdih at the end of September 1885.