Embroidery of the Southern Kyrgyz Southern Kyrgyz embroidery is the result of centuries of artistic creativity. Its characteristic features are highly developed stylization and decorativeness. In recent years, there has been a more diverse technique here than among the northern Kyrgyz. Stitches such as "ilmidos," "duria," "mushkul," and "jormo" did not develop in northern Kyrgyz embroidery, while they are quite characteristic of the south. Among them,
Artistic Crafts: Traditions and Modernity The decorative and applied arts of various territorial groups of Kyrgyz people have much in common, as well as some local peculiarities. The southern regions are characterized by pile and non-pile weaving with polychrome patterns on a light background and special stitches (on women's headwear and household decoration items). The southern Kyrgyz of the ichkilik group are almost unfamiliar with patterned felt, embroidered wall carpets (tush kiyiz);
The Arrangement of Patterns in Kyrgyz Embroidery Among the other most commonly used patterns in embroidery, we can note the star (“jildyz”), the moon (“ai nuskа”, “ai keshtе”), and the pattern in the shape of a bracket divided in the middle (S. M. Andreev calls it sulёo-sun tyrmak — lynx claws). Among geometric patterns, typical are jagged and zigzag shapes (“iyrek”, “araa”), lines with steps (“kavyrga”), concentric circles with different names, a circle with a spot in the middle (“koy koz”),
Southern Kyrgyz Embroidery The next ornamental motif characteristic of southern Kyrgyz embroidery is the depiction of a leaf. It is presented in several variations. The most typical of them are the lanceolate double-sided leaf, the lanceolate leaf with cutouts on one side, and the leaf with symmetrical cutouts on both sides (fig. 65, 12—14). The reproduction of the leaf is so realistic that there is complete consistency in naming: berk (leaf), tal berki (willow leaf). However, if the leaf is
The Artistic Creativity of Kyrgyz Women At first glance, one might get the impression that the embroidery of southern Kyrgyz people is rich in a variety of ornamental forms. However, a more careful analysis of the ornament reveals a certain limitation of motifs. The dynamism, expressiveness, and richness of the embroidery ornament can be attributed to variations in both the motifs of the pattern and the compositional solutions. Great artistry is manifested in the combination of ornamental
Surface Stitches. Surface stitches include the basma, buraya, chirash, kepturme, suurma, jormyo, and stem stitches. The "basma" stitch is executed by laying rows of threads across the width of the pattern. Each thread is attached to the material with stitches that are thrown over this thread in several places. The stitches create a peculiar linear (or mottled) ripple on the embroidered surface (see Fig. 64, a, b). On the reverse side of the fabric, the surface stitches leave linear
Loop Stitches The loop stitches ilme, ilmedos, tuura saima, and overlock stitches are considered to be of one type, as each of them is constructed using a loop, arranged and tightened differently. These stitches are not related to counting; they are embroidered according to a pre-planned pattern; they are ancient and characteristic of Central Asian embroidery. The "ilme" stitch is widely used among all Kyrgyz, as well as many other peoples, and dates back to ancient times. In the
Stitch "d j or m o m ё" The stitch "d j or m o m ё" (from the word "жормо" — to sew through the edge), i.e., cross stitch, has three variants in Kyrgyz embroidery, differing from each other in technique, pattern, the item being embroidered, and the material used. The first variant is chronologically earlier, while the other two are characteristic of the Soviet era. In the early period, Kyrgyz people embroidered narrow strips with cross stitch, which were sewn onto
Stitch "terskayik" The technique of execution, i.e., the stitch, is of great importance for the classification of embroidery. Usually, the nature of the stitch, the item being embroidered, the material, and the ornament are closely interconnected. Certain stitches correspond to specific ornaments, which are introduced with the emergence of new techniques, and then, as they are mastered, begin to acquire specific features characteristic of Kyrgyz ornamentation. In our analysis of
Embroiderers The material on which southern Kyrgyz people embroidered is quite diverse. It includes leather, felt, fabric made of wool or cotton, silk or cotton braid woven by hand, on small looms, or on boards. Purchased materials were also widely used: fabrics of artisanal Central Asian or Kashgar production, and with the increase in the import of factory-made fabrics into Central Asia in the 1980s and 1990s — red cloth (manat), black velvet (barkut, bakhmal), which were especially highly
Embroidery Embroidery is one of the most widespread forms of Kyrgyz folk art in the past. The skill of embroidery was usually taught from the age of 10-12. Women passed on their mastery of embroidery to their daughters and granddaughters. National artistic style finds its most vivid expression in embroidery. It is manifested in the relationships of colors and in the richness of ornamentation. This type of applied art is a valuable source for revealing the unique features of culture and for
Production of Carpets In southern Kyrgyzstan, in addition to pile carpets, they also produce pileless carpets, of the type known as "arabi kilim." Such carpets are made by the Karshi Arabs. Carpets have firmly entered the daily life of the Kyrgyz of the Kipchak group (Batken region). They are also made in the Laylak region, and less frequently in the Frunze region. This type of carpet was historically intended for the same purposes as pile carpets: it was used during migrations and
Kyrgyz Carpet Weaving Patterns whose names are associated with the plant world are equally diverse. The foremost among them is "toguz döbö," various versions of which in the form of rosettes are widely spread across Kyrgyzstan. However, a rosette with a more or less smoothed contour is often referred to by carpet weavers, as mentioned above, as an animal's footprint. Alongside the Kyrgyz name "toguz döbö," another name—segiz pista (eight pistachios)—is found in the
Characteristics of Main Carpet Patterns Many ornamental motifs of Kyrgyz carpets bear a strong resemblance to the patterns of products from various peoples of Central Asia, Kazakhstan, the Caucasus, and Xinjiang, indicating deep common roots. Some carpet patterns used by the Kyrgyz are very expressive. They likely symbolically reflected specific objects that formed the basis of ancient ornamentation. Countless variations, inevitable in individual creativity, have over time brought significant
Eastern Turkestan Carpets A. Felkerzam notes seven types of Eastern Turkestan carpets. Two of them find analogies in Kyrgyz products: these are carpets with a "grid" ornament (a connection of four "S" shapes) and with a tiled arrangement of the pattern. Carpets with a "grid" ornament are classified by us as the second type. This pattern has become very popular among all southern Kyrgyz, including the Pamiris. Carpets with a tiled arrangement, according to our
A Unique Type of Kyrgyz Carpet In the compositional structure of the central field, rhythmic placement of ornamental motifs is primarily noted. The carpet is not overloaded with diverse patterns, which is typical, for example, for Caucasian carpet products. The uniformity in the construction of the rapport or two to three repetitions gives the Kyrgyz carpet its distinctive appearance. Several types of compositions of the central field are identified: 1. The central field is divided into two,
Pattern of Kyrgyz Antique Carpets Kyrgyz antique carpets are distinguished by their high artistic merits, which do not exceed the bounds of modesty and elegant simplicity. They are devoid of gaudiness both in coloring and ornamentation. The pattern organically connects with the background, forming a single whole with it. The color palette of Kyrgyz carpets is limited to two main colors: red and blue. Both colors are presented in muted tones. It is in such colors that we have recorded Kyrgyz
The loom for producing pile carpets, under the drawing of the weaving loom, is schematically represented in a horizontal cross-section, explaining the formation of the shed. Batken District. A feature of the Kyrgyz carpet is the presence of fringe, consisting of warp threads (20—25 cm) braided together.
The main stages of carpet making are the preparation of yarn, then the carpet's foundation, and the weaving process. All these types of work in manual production, on which carpet weaving has been based for centuries, are very labor-intensive. Kyrgyz people predominantly wove carpets from wool. However, there was also carpet production based on cotton with the same weft. Cotton yarn, as the artisans say, has been used since ancient times and was bought at the market. Among the Kyrgyz group
During the years of imperialist and civil war, and during the basmachi uprising in southern Kyrgyzstan, carpets were not produced. Only after enduring hardships did the artisans take up their production again, but carpet weaving took on different forms. The production of small pile items ceased, as they lost their value in the new living conditions. The main pile item became the carpet. Starting from the 1930s, the Soviet government undertook a series of measures to develop Kyrgyz carpet
The production of pile carpet products among the Kyrgyz was closely linked to the needs of a nomadic lifestyle. Each item was adapted primarily to this, while also meeting the aesthetic needs of the Kyrgyz people. Carpet products gradually began to replace felt items, displacing some of them, although the production of the latter is much simpler and requires significantly less time.
In the 19th century, especially in its second half, carpet weaving in southern Kyrgyzstan was widespread and was entirely in the hands of women. Originating from the needs of nomadic life, carpet weaving among the Kyrgyz initially developed in conditions of semi-subsistence farming, characterized as home production intended to meet the needs of individual families. However, even at that time, carpet products were mainly acquired by the upper class of society—the Kyrgyz nobility.
Pile weaving has long been known to the Kyrgyz living in the territory of the modern Osh region, and it is widespread in the southern areas, while in the northern regions (the former Jalal-Abad region), it is practiced by Kyrgyz inhabiting areas closer to the Fergana Valley.
Kyrgyz Carpet Weaving All three types of patterned fabrics, briefly described by us, are artistically unique and attractive. Currently, patterned weaving is in decline; primitive techniques are losing their strength literally every day. Only a transition to factory production (Jacquard machine) could preserve the age-old folk traditions and create beautiful decorative fabrics that fully meet modern tastes. In the most substantial works related to the applied art of the peoples of Central Asia,
Sample of patterned fabric 'besh keshté'. Nookat District. The most vibrant and colorful of all types of patterned fabrics among the southern Kyrgyz is 'besh keshté' (The words 'besh keshté' mean 'a lot of embroidery' ('besh' — a lot, 'keshté' — from 'kashida' — the work of hand embroidery).
A saddle blanket made from strips of "kadjary" fabric Fabrics made using the "kadjary" technique are widely spread in southern Kyrgyzstan, known to the Pamir Kyrgyz, and are produced by Kyrgyz living in southern Xinjiang. Uzbeks, Kazakhs, and Karakalpaks also use a similar technique.
The process of "smoking" leather dishes (chanach yshtoo) Leather from cattle, camels, and horses was used to make shoes, suede for saddlery, dishes, and more. The tanning of leather was carried out as follows: first, the hide was soaked in water, the hair was shaved off, then it was soaked for 3-4 days in ayran with alum, after which it was dried, cut into straps, and kneaded by hand.
Tanning sheepskin with ayran. Mid-19th century. The photograph is kept in the State Museum The Kyrgyz were skilled in processing animal hides. The process of tanning sheepskin was as follows. First, the remnants of fat and muscle tissue were carefully removed from the skin with a knife. After that, the sheepskin was soaked from the inside with sour milk (whole, not skimmed) — ayran mixed with salt, rolled up, and left in this state for 4-5 days. Then the skin was taken out into the sun for a
The fabric "terme" is known to all Kyrgyz people. It is widely used among the Turkic-speaking peoples of Central Asia. By the method of production, this fabric belongs to the type of supplementary weaves, and its folk name "terme" reflects the main technical technique that forms its specificity. "Terme" means "assembled." The warp threads, which create the pattern, are paired together on a stick (tergich) during weaving and temporarily, depending on the
Alongside the production of simple solid-colored or striped fabrics used for making clothing and some household items, patterned weaving was widespread in southern Kyrgyzstan in the 19th and early 20th centuries. There are three types of patterned fabrics distinguished by their weaving technique: terme, kajary, and besh kashté. Patterned fabrics not only met practical needs but were also intended to satisfy the aesthetic tastes of the Kyrgyz population.
Traditional string instruments include the guitar and violin, while among the Kyrgyz, there are komuz and kyl kyak. A classical guitar can be purchased in almost any store, but national Kyrgyz musical instruments are almost always handmade.
Typically, two women work on the navoi. One unwinds the threads onto the warp (erish) of the fabric, while the other picks up each thread and secures it in the heddle. When winding the warp, the artisans consider the width, pattern, and color of the product. When creating patterned fabric, the threads are counted precisely. Therefore, the winding of the warp is one of the critical stages in patterned weaving.
The southern Kyrgyz are also known for a manual device for cleaning raw cotton from seeds — the chygyrik, which was widely used in areas where cotton cultivation has been practiced for a long time.
Among other domestic crafts, weaving held one of the primary places among the Kyrgyz in the past. The development of capitalist relations, which gradually dismantled the foundations of the natural economy, brought about several changes in domestic weaving. In the lively trade of various types of fabrics, both from Central Asian handicrafts and Russian industrial production, observed in the Fergana Valley in the late 19th century, Kyrgyz fabrics made at home also had a certain presence.
Rope weaving. Batken district. In the economic life of the Kyrgyz, the lasso has wide applications. In the past, the nomadic livestock economy had a daily need for this type of wool product. Therefore, the Kyrgyz are well-versed in the technique of making lassos, which were previously sold in large quantities. Until recently, the production of lassos was based on manual labor.
Kyrgyz people have long used the stems of the steppe plant chiy for various products. A. P. Fedchenko wrote about the properties and benefits of this plant, as well as its use in the southern regions of Kyrgyzstan: "Being thin, strong, and uniformly straight over long distances, without knots, they (the stems of chiy — K. A.) are very convenient for making mats. Mats made from chiy are widely used by the Kyrgyz, and the sides of the yurt are necessarily covered with chiy; it is dense
In the economic life and daily life of the southern Kyrgyz, various items made using the technique of hand weaving held a prominent place. Currently, many types of weaving have almost been lost. They have been best preserved in the Alay Valley and in the southwestern regions of the Osh region. Like all Kyrgyz, the weaving of woolen belts — gashniks (ychkyr), used for men's and women's sharovars, was widespread. They are woven by hand from uncolored twisted threads (white or brown).
A significant place in the decoration of felt products among the Kyrgyz is occupied by appliqué. This decorative technique is much simpler than mosaic. It can be considered ancient in the art of decorating felt. Appliqué has developed significantly among the Kyrgyz belonging to the ichkilik group. They have preserved more archaic techniques to this day. In the eastern part of the region, appliqué was also present in the decoration of the yurt. Modern artisans or enthusiasts of handmade
An interesting fact is the existence of felt wall carpets called 'tush kiyiz' (also known as 'tush tuurduk') in the Alai region as early as the beginning of our century. These carpets were trimmed with fringe on three sides and made using mosaic techniques. Essentially, such felt carpets did not differ from 'shirdamal' type carpets (the same colors, the same shape, the same manufacturing technique), but they were typically used for insulating yurts: they were hung
The term "shirdamal" is used among the pre-Fergana Kyrgyz. Carpets by this name are made here only by Kyrgyz who identify themselves with the tribal groups of Adigine, Mongoldor, and Mungush. Northern Kyrgyz refer to such a carpet as "shyrdak." Among the Kazakhs, a similar carpet is called "syrmak," "syrdak," or "syrdamal." In the past, it was laid on the ground in a yurt, used during migrations, covering the loaded camel. Nowadays, it serves
The main ornamental motif is the curl, executed in various variations. Sometimes the entire pattern consists only of curls enclosed in squares or triangles. This decoration, "ala kiyiza," is most typical for the Batken region. More often, artisans develop simple and more complex rosettes that incorporate the curl motif in different combinations and positions.
Using the technique of rolled colored pattern, a felt carpet is made, which has the original name ala kiyiz (multicolored felt). No other types of products created in this way are noted among the Kyrgyz. Felt carpets are widely and commonly used in the daily life of the Kyrgyz. The technique of rolled colored pattern in felt carpets is applied by many peoples of Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the Kazakhs, as well as by the Kyrgyz of Xinjiang.
The technology of producing felt, both unadorned and adorned, is mainly reduced to the same process, complicated in the latter case by the creation of ornamentation.
The production of felt used to occupy a significant place in home industry. In the 19th century, it remained an indispensable material in Kyrgyz life, serving to protect homes from cold, rain, wind, sunlight, moisture, and dampness. Felt was widely used for making clothing items, pack transport, and so on. Now, felt is used in the form of covers for yurts, carpets, and men's headwear.
Dyeing is one of the important processes in the production of woolen products. The color largely determines the quality of the created items. In the past, the best dyes were of plant origin; the Kyrgyz used roots, stems, and fruits of various plants for this purpose. However, it is difficult to ascertain the details of the use of natural plant dyes, as much has already been forgotten, since they ceased to be used about 100-120 years ago.
In the nomadic lifestyle of the Kyrgyz, wool found wide application. Wool products and materials made from it were used for arranging and decorating dwellings, clothing, and crafting items related to riding and pack transport. Wool was used to make ropes, mats, and other household and economic items. Sheep's wool was most commonly used, along with goat and camel wool. For yarn and weaving, spring shearing wool was preferred. Autumn shearing wool was used to make felt.
