Figure 1.--We have found a 1954 portrit of an Armenian boy wearing a smock. The problem is that we have no idea where he lived. Armenia as an independent coumtry dod not exist. He could be from the Soviet Armenian SSR, but we thought theSoviet Union has a nation-wide school uniform that did not include smocks. We supose it is possible that the Armenian SSR had its own uniform and we do see a few Soviet children aring schol smovls before World War II. Er have, hoever, no information to conform this and there are no Soviet sleeve patches. The smock looks to us more like those worn by Turkish school children. Note that there is no belt, but a kind of elasticised waistband. Children in Lebanon and Palestine, including Armenian children, also wore smocks, but the smocks looked different.

Armenia is a difficult country to assess. We are not even sure whwre to place it. Culturally it is European. Geograpically it is in Asia. But the a case could be made for placing Armenia in the Middle East. This is all further compicatedby the fact that Armenia disappeared as an independent country in the Medieval era when they were invaded by the Mongls. The Soviet Union had a Armenian SSR which is the basis for the modern country of Armenia. Tragically the Young Turks launched the terrible Armenian genocide (1915-16). Some Armenians survived in Turkey. Many survivors reached the Levant where they were rescued by Christian communities and Western aid. We have found a 1954 portrit of an Armenian boy wearing a smock. The problem is that we have no idea where he lived. Armenia as an independent coumtry dod not exist. He could be from the Soviet Armenian SSR, but we thought theSoviet Union has a nation-wide school uniform that did not include smocks. We supose it is possible that the Armenian SSR had its own uniform and we do see a few Soviet children aring schol smocks before World War II. Er have, hoever, no information to conform this and there are no Soviet sleeve patches. The smock looks to us more like those worn by Turkish school children. Note that there is no belt, but a kind of elasticised waistband. Children in Lebanon and Palestine, including Armenian children, also wore smocks, but the smocks looked different. We are not yet sure avout Syri. Lebnon znd Syria wpuld ve the French influenbce. We are not sure why smocks were worn in Palestine.

Created: 8:17 PM 5/8/2014
Last updated: 8:17 PM 5/8/2014