Rishtan ceramics, ikat and gastronomy tourism – what is touristic Uzbekistan like?

04 December 2020


Painted silk, the latest inventions in the pharmaceutical field, opportunities to expand cooperation in the tourism sector – this is not the whole list of the issues to be raised within these two days by the participants of the “Made in Uzbekistan” business mission.


Ikat – origin legends


Perhaps everyone who is at least a little familiar with the history and culture of Uzbekistan has paid their attention to the textile industry in this country, to fascinating patterns that originated in ancient times, to softness and tenderness of the material itself, to colorfulness and a great range of modern variations of the traditional Uzbekistan costume. All this cannot help but draw the eye and charm even the most sophisticated connoisseur of fashion. It is not in vain that in recent years more and more often one can witness Uzbek motifs at the shows of leading fashion houses.


There are two beautiful legends about how silk got into the territory of Central Asia. According to the most popular version, silkworm pupas were taken by a Chinese princess in her hairstyle in order to please her chosen one. According to another version, two monks did it by hiding pupas in their canes. But if we refer to the reliable sources, we will find out that silk had appeared in the territory of Uzbekistan before the emergence of Islam. At that time, Zoroastrian symbols were used to decorate the fabric. Over some time, not only the area of distribution changed, but also the design of clothing itself – pagan symbols disappeared and geometric ornamentation became more common.


The word “ikat” itself derives from the Malay term, meaning “to tie”. From Indonesia, ikat spread to Japan, China, Malaysia, India, Central Asia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Guatemala and Mexico. It should be noted that the ikat technique of creating patterns on textiles emerged with masters, who came there along the Silk Road in the Middle Ages and stayed there. In Central Asia ikat technique weavers used dried silk threads for weaving weft. The base, threads of which were crossed by weft threads, was usually smooth inconspicuous chintz.

 

Rishtan ceramics, ikat and gastronomy tourism – what is touristic Uzbekistan like?

 

In pre-Soviet times, in Uzbekistan, ikat was the highest manifestation of fashion designer’s art and dyer skills, an important trend in the growing urban economy and a valuable and prestigious present both for a loved one and a tsar. Ikat was a connecting link in many areas of life – political, economic and social. Masters from Uzbekistan achieved such perfection in this kind of art that for some time ikat rose to the same level as gold – it was given to high-ranking guests, prisoners were exchanged for it and peace was made between the warring people.

 

One of the reasons why weaving products made in the ikat technique are so prestigious is the complexity of their production. The whole trick of ikat is that colors and patterns are applied to threads in advance, before fabric is woven. Only when the product is ready does the pattern become visible. Thus, mystery is preserved throughout the entire fabrication process.

 

Rishtan ceramics, ikat and gastronomy tourism – what is touristic Uzbekistan like?

 

Rishtan ceramics, ikat and gastronomy tourism – what is touristic Uzbekistan like?

 

Each thread of yarn can be dyed and dried up to three times. The main colors of the dyes are yellow, red and blue. Before each stage of the dying process, the master has to tie each strand in order to protect areas that should not absorb the dye. Therefore, the area that will be blue must be tied off before dying yellow and red; the area that will be green must absorb the yellow dye, then it must be tied off for red, and then it must be tied off for blue so that yellow and blue can give green together.


The ikat technique was also used in other places, but in Central Asia that was a special case. It was there that fabrics acquired the greatest brightness, as if they were reminiscent of precious stones.


The ancient cities of Central Asia, located along the northern Silk Road, had been famous for producing luxurious weaving products for centuries. However, the ikat production began in Bukhara, from where they became widespread in Samarkand and later in the entire Fergana Valley.


Products of early period often differ in rapid color transitions from one site to another one, without clear distinction between the main pattern and background. The style had been greatly transformed by the middle of the XIX century, when craftsmen mastered the technique. And then there was a real explosion – artists tried something new, following the tradition while adding their own vision.


Although patterns were complex and the production process was very time-consuming, the simplest items of clothing were made from ikat fabrics. They were women’s dresses and sirwal pants, T-shaped dressing gowns for both men and women. The lining for a dressing gown was also bright. It was made not from ikat, but from cotton fabric. Not a single piece of old ikat fabric was thrown away. A shabby adult dressing gown could be sewn for a child or used as an edging for other clothes.

 

Rishtan ceramics, ikat and gastronomy tourism – what is touristic Uzbekistan like?

 

Rishtan ceramics, ikat and gastronomy tourism – what is touristic Uzbekistan like?

 

How ceramics gave new impetus to Uzbek craftsmen


Another branch of art, without which it is simply impossible to imagine any Uzbek bazaar, is ceramics. Lagans (big plates), tea sets, small figures, sculptures and jugs – the list is endless.


Pottery production remained the most highly developed kind of craft in Uzbekistan for many centuries. The most important thing – tableware – was made of clay: cups, pialas, bowls and jugs. Later craftsmen painted them with glaze and applied original drawings and ornaments.


Traditional ceramic production centers that have preserved their ancient traditions include Rishtan, Gijduvan, Samarkand, Gurumsaray, Shakhrisabz, Urgut, Khorezm and Tashkent.


The most famous ceramics in Uzbekistan and abroad is Rishtan ceramics. Once a small village in the Fergana Valley, Rishtan now is considered to be one of the largest ceramics producers in Central Asia. The very nature contributed to the development of this craftsmanship: there have never been any problems in the region with clay mining of such exceptional quality that local craftsmen have not even subjected it to any special treatment. And the herbs growing nearby are good for glaze production of emerald turquoise color. Whole generations of craftsmen have been formed, perfecting the traditional recipe for clay and paints for centuries.


Ceramics of this region in Uzbekistan has its own characteristics. Dishes are very thin and ring melodically if one gently clicks on them. And the color scale is represented by all shades of blue and turquoise. The ornaments on the pialas have a sacral meaning. A dot is drawn at the bottom, symbolizing the birth of man. Then symmetrical strokes mark the main stages of life: growth, study, work, marriage, and offspring. Death does not mean the end of life, so an ornament is thrown around the edges of a plate or a piala, symbolizing the continuation of a person in his great-grandsons. Sometimes it is possible to distinguish individual objects in a series of patterns. For example, a jug means hospitality, pomegranates – abundance, fish – purity and wealth, and birds are the symbol of freedom.


Gijduvan is another ancient pottery center in Uzbekistan. Tableware made here is very light, porous and have thick walls. For painting, masters use yellow and brown color shades diluted with green and blue details. While Rishtan ceramics stand out for their clear ornamentation, the patterns and lines on Gijduvan tableware are rather vague. Masters use only natural dyes, which include plant ashes such as camel prickles.


One of the most ancient ceramics schools of Central Asia is in Khorezm. The paintings made here cannot be confused: tableware is tightly covered with ornate complex patterns with horizontal edges. The glaze is applied in a thick layer, making the ornaments seem voluminous and embossed. The paintings remind us of the lush decor of mosques or palaces. Blue shades prevail - the colors of sky, water and happiness. Khorezm jars can perhaps be compared to modern thermoses in terms of heat retention. According to ancient technology, they are tightly covered with thick glaze from the inside and partially filled from the outside. The result is that it takes very long to cool the contents.


Gastronomy tourism – try the taste of Uzbekistan


In recent years, gastronomy tourism is becoming more and more popular. It lets get to know a country, get acquainted with local culture through national cuisine. Uzbekistan is not an exception in this case. And this is not surprising, because the Uzbek cuisine is one of the most diverse and brightest in the world.


When it comes to traditional dishes, even the most inveterate gourmet will be impressed by their variety. Real crumbly Uzbek pilaf, tender manti, fragrant samsa, exquisite sausage made of qazi horsemeat, hearty chorba, festive naryn and everyday khanum, amazingly delicious meat tandyr kabob, juicy Tashkent kebabs, exotic Khorezm tukhum barak - this list can be continued endlessly. And, interestingly, each district is famous for its dish. For example, if you want to try the best samsa, you should go to Jizzakh. Even the traditional and everyone’s favourite pilaf is cooked in each city in its own way: in Tashkent, before cooking pilaf, all the ingredients are roasted, and in Samarkand, vegetables are put in layers and steamed. Pilaf also differs in color: in Samarkand, it is light and in the Fergana Valley, dark. By the way, there is one very interesting legend that tells us about the emergence of pilaf.


At the end of the XIV century, the founder of the Timurid Empire Khan Timur addressed the mullah since he was concerned about the fact that warriors were often starving and did not have enough strength to fight properly. The mullah advised: “You should take a huge cast-iron cauldron. Put there some meat of not old, but also not very young lambs, selected rice swelling with pride that will be eaten by courageous warriors, young carrots blushing with joy, and spicy onions stinging like the sword of the highly respected emir. All this should be boiled at the stake until the flavor of the cooked dish reaches the heavens and the cook falls down in exhaustion”. The pilaf proved to be excellent in action and many times helped the Tamerlan army.


The Uzbek cuisine is probably one of the richest in the East. Each of the Uzbek dishes has its traditional rituals and ways of cooking.

 


Ilmira Gafiyatullina