Hamal Heykeli

One day strolling the steep streets in the commercial heart of old Istanbul I first ran into a large group of saddles of the type used by porters. The porters themselves were absent, as the weekend had started. Motorised transport is almost impossible in that area, so although the work is very heavy it still exists (and not just there, one can see carriers all over the country, carrying amazing loads). Later I saw a monument for such a porter, called hamal (or arkacı from arka, back or sırtçı from another word for back). It Ottoman times it was hallak. And again later a group of them was taking a break, fittingly sitting on the monument.

Fotoğrafçı: Dosseman