'Dervishes in Eastern Turkstan', 1874.

Plate taken from the 'Illustrated London News', from a series illustrating life in Turkestan, (now in Kazakhstan). The 'dervishes', dresed in long robes and fur hats, some with brims, dance and wave sticks with bells to accompany the two men who are seated playing lute-like instruments. 'Dervish' is the term used in the West to refer to the Mawlawiyya (Mevlevi) Sufis, a Muslim religious order who use devotional dance movements and music to induce a spiritual trance-like state.