[David]

Originally Posted by AvtoGaz

Its not a souvenir picture, they really were just that heavily armed in everyday life. It was really not uncommon at all for many of the peoples of Anatolia and the Balkans.

"In front of and behind the mules or at their sides, walked robust young men; they had light and narrow clogs at their feet; woolen breeches wrapped around their legs; a reddish belt tightened their waist, contained first pistols and carried the leather powder magazines; from the belt hung the half-meter long sabers, next to small powder boxes and bags which contained bullets: their busts were covered with jackets of variegated wool, the sleeves rolled up to the elbows; and the very long sleeves of their shirts, tied at their ends, passed behind their necks; at their backs, on the right side, stood the rifles, having barrels a meter long, and flat triangular stocks; they wore the Tunisian fez, wrapped in large red silk kefié, rolled up several times, giving a terrible appearance to their faces; They were all tall with blond moustaches curled up on their alert and young faces : they were the brave men of Zeïtoun." -Zeïtoun: Depuis les origines jusqu'à l'insurrection de 1895

Your original photo that you posted was so far back in the thread that i am reposting it so that your response here can make more sense.