Scent of Tobacco

The introduction of tobacco cultivation in the Ottoman Empire dates back to the end of the 16th century. By the 17th century, the region of Xanthi emerged as the primary center of tobacco production, with Yenisea distinguished for the high-quality variety it produced. Despite the export of tobacco from this region across Europe, Istanbul remained the principal tobacco market. In the latter half of the 19th century, there was a surge in demand for aromatic oriental tobacco. Concurrently, Xanthi evolved into the economic and political hub of the area. Along with the advancement of tobacco cultivation, the processing of tobacco also progressed, leading to the establishment of factories and warehouses. This photograph of 1908 depicts children and adult tobacco workers in one such tobacco warehouse.

Creator: Unknown (1908)
Source: D. Mavridis Archive- Old Xanthi blog