“It seemed to me, when driving for the first time through the streets of Samarkand on a brilliant September morning in 1896, that Keats could not have chosen a more appropriate epithet for that city than “Silken Samarkand”; almost every other man we met was clothed in silk. A gentle breeze filled their long wide sleeves till they looked like silken pillows, and spread out the folds of their ample garments, while the silk embroidery on the boys’ caps shone in the direct rays of the midday sun.”
Many of the traditional textiles of Central Asia (formerly known as Turkestan) are visual treasures unfamiliar to most. Straddling the legendary Silk Road, this vast region stretches from Russia in the west to China in the east. Whether nomadic or sedentary, its diverse peoples created textiles for all aspects of their lives, from ceremonial pieces marking rites of passage, to everyday garments, to practical items for the home. There were exquisite suzanis for a girl’s dowry; prayer mats; patchwork quilts; cradle covers; yurt hangings; animal trappings; finely-embroidered hats; and robes of every color and pattern.
The textiles in this book differ from what is generally exhibited in museums or sought after by collectors. While many are not necessarily rare, they are for the most part unique, and what ordinary people made for their daily use and surroundings: A husband’s skullcap showed off the skilled needlework of his wife; a child’s well-worn patchwork shirt, trimmed with protective amulets, was made with a mother’s love; a colorful trapping with tassels and shiny buttons adorned the lead camel in a wedding procession.
Practically all of the 590 nineteenth century and Soviet-era textiles illustrated in this book are from the author’s collection. Shown in full color, their history, use, and cultural significance are contextualized through 220 archival photographs and exerpts from travelers’ narratives spanning the centuries. The historical overview, chapter introductions, and captions bring to life the fascinating, ever-shifting history and culture of the five countries that now make up Central Asia – Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan.
Many of the period photographs are by the reknowned photographer, Max Penson. Born in Belorussia in 1893, he emigrated to Uzbekistan in 1915 where he eventually became one of the most prominent photographers of Uzbekistan and its people. As a photojournalist for Pravda Vostoka (Truth of the East), Uzbekistan’s largest newspaper, he produced over 40,000 prints, many of which were distributed throughout the USSR.)
The beautiful textile photographs are by Don Tuttle (who also photographed the textiles in Russian Textiles), one of the foremost photographers of textiles working today. They capture the integrity of each piece and the attention to detail, aesthetics, and tradition shown by the people who made them.
Look Inside Silk and Cotton
THE GREAT GAME
These are portraits of some of the key people in what came to be known as the “Great Game, or” the “Tournament of Shadows,” between Imperial Russia and the British Empire over who would ultimately control Central Asia. Played out over most of the nineteenth century, it was ultimately the Russian tsar who reigned supreme.
EMIR SAYID MIR MOHAMMED ALIM KHAN
(1880–1944). c.1910.
The last emir of the Emirate of Bukhara, Alim Khan reigned from 1911 until 1920, when he was forced to flee to Afghanistan. (photograph from the Library of Congress)
QUEEN VICTORIA
(1819–1901).
Steel engraving, c.1870. Queen Victoria reigned from 1837 until her death in 1901. In 1876 she was given the additional title of Empress of India, so as not to be overshadowed by Russian Emperor Alexander II. (photograph from the Library of Congress)
“SAVE ME FROM MY FRIENDS!”
Punch magazine, Nov. 30, 1878. Abdur Rahman (1844-1901), the emir of Afghanistan, was “wooed” by his Russian and British neighbors. Ultimately, he favored the British. (image from Punch Ltd.)
KING GEORGE V
(1865–1936), and
TSAR NICHOLAS II
(1868–1918). c.1913.
First cousins, King George V reigned from 1910 until his death, and Tsar Nicholas II reigned from 1894 until he abdicated in 1917. Nicholas was executed by the Bolsheviks in 1918. (photograph from the Library of Congress)
MUHAMMAD KHUDAYAR KHAN.
c.1833–72.
Notorious for his tyranny, Muhammad Khudayar Khan was deposed several times—his fourth and last reign was from 1866 to 1875, when he was forced to flee once again. He was succeeded briefly by his son, the last Khan of Kokand. (photograph from the Library of Congress)
“Everybody wears a coat like a rainbow. The poor made them of cotton prints and the rich of silk brocades…No matter how humble or hungry a man may be, and even if he has but a single garment, that is made of the most brilliantly colored material he can find.”
BROCADE ROBES
Left: MAN’S ROBE. Bukhara, Uzbekistan, 1st quarter, 20th c. Russian silk brocade with gold-wrapped threads; Russian printed-cotton lining. This lavish robe was probably worn by a well-off urban man at his marriage ceremony. 49” length; 72” cuff to cuff
Right: WOMAN’S ROBE. Uzbekistan, early 20th c. Russian silk brocade with gold- and silver-wrapped threads; woven trim; Russian printed-cotton lining. The cut of this urban robe shows a distinct Western influence, with its turn-down collar, fitted waist, and flared fullness. 42” length; 60” cuff to cuff
TAJIK WOMAN’S ROBE.Ferghana Valley, last third 19th c. Shohi (all-silk) ikat; loop-manipulation silk trim; Russian block-printed cotton lining; adras (silk warp/cotton weft) ikat and Russian machine-woven striped-cotton facings. 51” length; 64” cuff to cuff
WOMAN’S ROBE.Uzbekistan, early 20th c. Bekasab (hand-woven silk warp/cotton weft stripe); applied handwoven trim; Russian printed-cotton lining; Russian machine-woven striped-cotton facings. 48” length; 54” cuff to cuff
“SART WOMAN”. Tashkent, Uzbekistan, c.1910. Russian period postcard. In pre-Soviet days, “sart” was the term Russia applied to the settled peoples of Central Asia (as opposed to nomadic ones). The woman in this studio portrait wears a long cloak-like paranja with a horsehair veil (chachvan) thrown back over her head. At this time, women and girls were expected to completely cover themselves with a paranja and chachvan whenever they ventured outside of their homes.
WOMAN’S PARANJA. Uzbekistan, c.1900. Russian embossed silk velvet; silk hand- embroidery; applied handwoven and cross-stitched silk trim; silk tassels; Russian printed faux-ikat cotton lining; atlas (satin-weave) ikat facing. 61” length; 43” width closed; 89” width open
WOMAN’S TROUSERS.Uzbekistan, late 19th- early 20th c. Shohi ikat; Russian printed-cotton; applied handwoven silk trim; unlined. Under their long dresses, women and girls wore loose-fitting trousers (called lozim) - with a drawstring top that rested on the hips.The narrow cuffs were usually embellished with embroidery or applied trimming. 19th and early 20th century pants were voluminous; later styles had a slimmer cut, though they were still roomy. Trousers were generally worn from babyhood through old age. 40’ length.
“The nomads have great love for children and will play with them by the hour. Even the richest Beg is considered poor if he has no children, while the poorest servant gains much respect if he has many children playing around his yurt.”
CHILDREN’S ROBES (Bekasab)
Left top: BOY’S ROBE. Uzbekistan, mid-20th c. Bekasab (silk warp/cotton weft woven stripe); handwoven trim; printed-cotton lining. 22” length; 35” cuff to cuff
Left bottom: “SCHOOLCHILDREN”. Uzbekistan, 1930s-40s. The barefoot boy in front is wearing a bekasab robe. (photograph by Max Penson/©Maxime Penson)
Right top: BOY’S ROBE. Uzbekistan, 3rd quarter, 20th c. Bekasab; printed-cotton lining. 21” length; 33” cuff to cuff
Right middle: BOY’S FAUX-BEKASAB ROBE. Uzbekistan, 3rd quarter, 20th c. Printed silk warp/cotton weft stripe; printed-cotton lining. 21” length; 33” cuff to cuff
Right bottom: BOY’S ROBE. Uzbekistan, c.1940s. Bekasab; printed-cotton linings. (left) 28” length; 37” cuff to cuff; (right) 36” length; 45” cuff to cuff
KIRLIK (bib-like garment).Probably Yomut Turkmen, mid-20th c. Plain-weave cotton, red cotton jacquard; printed cotton lining; black/white talismanic “snake” ties. A kirlik is believed to protect against evil spirits. It was worn by young children over their poncho-like kurtes. 16 x 13”
KURTE (child’s poncho-like garment).Probably Yomut Turkmen, 2nd quarter 20th c. Handwoven and machine-made cotton and silk: imported wool-broadcloth triangles; cloth amulet (doga); black/white “snakes” trim; ladder and running stitches; printed-cotton lining; two Russian 10-kopek coins dated 1925. The kurte is imbued with protective power – the “snake” trim, dangling coins, and triangles all serve as talismans. 12” length; 18” across top
KIRLIK.Probably Yomut Turkmen, 2nd quarter, 20th c. Silk embroidery on cotton; talismanic ram’s horn motifs; unlined. 16 x 14”
KURTA (child’s shirt).Probably Turkmen, mid-20th c. Machine-made cotton and silk; cotton lining; chicken feather amulet. The caroq (patchwork) panel evokes the American patchwork quilt patterns “Pinwheel” and “Pineapple”. 13" length; 19” cuff to cuff
KIRLIK.Tekke Turkmen, 2nd quarter, 20th c. Handwoven silk; imported wool broadcloth; silk fringe; lacing stitch; loop-manipulation trim; printed-cotton lining. 24 x 24"
“Everybody wears little skull caps…and they are embroidered with gold and silver braid or silks of brilliant colours. The cap shops are among the most numerous and attractive in the bazaars.”
HATS Ferghana Valley Region
Left: MAN’S HAT. Leninabad (currently Khujand), Tajikistan, 2nd quarter, 20th c. Silk embroidery on cotton; cotton trim; plain- and printed-cotton lining. All the hats shown on this spread were constructed in such a way that they could be folded into flat triangles for ease of carrying. 4 H. x 5.75” D.; 5.25 x 5” folded
Right top and middle: MEN’S HATS. Leninabad, 2nd quarter, 20th c. Silk embroidery on green silk; velvet trim; printed- and plain-cotton linings. 4.5 H. x 5.75” D.; 5..25 x 5” folded
Right bottom: MAN’S HAT. Andijan, Uzbekistan, c.1930s. Silk embroidery on blue silk; velvet trim; green cotton lining. The small white stitches that form irregular cellular patterns are refferred to as “chakmatur”. 5 x 5.25” folded; 4 H. x 5.5” D.
CHILD’S HAT. Turkmen, mid-20th c. Cotton patchwork; silk and cotton tassels; twisted black/white “snakes”; seed pods; printed cotton lining. Since children were considered especially vulnerable to evil spirits, patchwork and tassels were thought to confuse them; simulated snakes and seed pods served as amulets. 5 H. x 4.5” D.
HAT (Takhya).Turkmen, mid-20th c. Silk lacing stitch (called “kesdi”) on cotton; plain-cotton lining. Turkmen women often used this type of embroidery on their hats and clothing. 2.5 H. x 6.5” D.
“A WOMAN'S PORTRAIT”.Uzbekistan, 1930s. (photograph by Max Penson/©Maxime Penson)
VELVET HAT.Bukhara, Uzbekistan, early 20th c. Gold-wrapped threads on silk velvet; applied woven gold trimming band; adras ikat lining. 4.5 H. x 6” D.
CAP (Kulta).South Uzbekistan, mid-20th c. Silk embroidery on purple silk; handwoven trim; printed-cotton lining. Uzbek and Tajik women might wear soft, rounded caps like this with an embroidered plait-cover that extended down the back. (cap) 6” D., (tail) 16 x 8”
“Auspicious symbols, each bearing various meanings – such as pomegranates (fertility), birds (happiness), water vessels (purity), teapots (hospitality), and tumars (protective amulets) – were often integrated into the patterns. The borders themselves served as protective devices to keep out jinns (evil spirits). A suzani was not only an object of beauty; it held much of a young girl’s past and would accompany her on the rest of her life’s journey.”
SUZANI Southern Uzbekistan
Left: SUZANI. Probably southern Uzbekistan, signed and dated 1965. Silk couching, stem, and buttonhole stitches on cotton; black commercial ribbon; machine-embroidered red cloth trim; unlined. This suzani was said to be Lakai, and though this attribution is often too readily given, the ogive-shaped motifs with ram’s horns and the circular medallions that appear in the borders are similar to those found in Lakai embroideries. 4’3” x 3’
Right top: SUZANI WORKSHOP. Tashkent Uzbekistan, 2004. In this photograph, the cotton base cloth with a pattern either stenciled or drawn on it has been fastened to a wooden frame. The women are needle-embroidering the suzani in chain stitch. (photograph by Elizabeth Hewitt)
Right bottom: SUZANI. Southern Uzbekistan, dated 1971. Silk couching stitch on cotton; machine-embroidered black cotton trim; unlined. This is an unusual design for a suzani and is evocative of Kyrgyz motifs. 4’8” x 6’5”
SUZANI.Samarkand, Uzbekistan, c.1950s. Silk couching outlined with chain stitch on four joined panels of factory-made plain-weave cotton; black cotton trim; unlined. By the mid-20th century, Samarkand suzanis like this one were being made in Soviet artels. Colors were reduced to a few shades of red, ochre, and black and the delicate green lotus vines of the 19th century were stylized into heavy black scrollwork, referred to as “melon vines”. 9’ x 12’6”
SUZANI. Ura-Tube, Tajikistan (formerly part of the khanate of Kokand), early to mid-19th c. Silk couching and chain stitch on five joined panels of handwoven cotton (called “karbos”); eighteen shades of natural dyes. Some of the flower clusters are evocative of early Mughal flower forms. 6’ x 5’5”
OY PALYAK SUZANI.Tashkent, Uzbekistan, mid-20th c. Silk couching stitch (basma) outlined in chain stitch (yurma) entirely covers three joined panels of factory-made cotton; stylized striped-snake motifs (protective symbols) in center; unlined. Large circular disks called “oy” (moon) are typical of this type of suzani. 8’ x 7’7”
NIM SUZANI.Bukhara region, early 19th c. Silk couching stitch (basma) and open chain stitch (ilmok), on four joined panels of karbos. This is a rare suzani, thought to be a variant of the “large medallion” suzani. “Nim” refers to the small size – literally “half-size”. 3’10” x 4’9”
NIM SUZANI (Detail).Bukharan suzanis often have a wide outer border with large floral medallions in two shades of red (an orange-red and a rose-red), intertwined with graceful meandering vines. This particular flower is a stylized carnation, worked in basma stitch (typical of Bukharan suzanis). 6.5” x 7”
“The most potent forms of cultural continuity exist within the woman’s sphere – as domestic ritual and, especially, in the creation of handmade textiles.”
SMALL BAGS (Khalta)
Left: CHAI KHALTAS. Uzbek-Lakai, 1st quarter 20th c. Silk cross-stitch (iroki) on cotton; ram’s horn motifs; Russian printed-cotton linings. Women embroidered small bags such as these to hold loose tea, or small personal items. A man could either hang the bag from his belt, or tuck it into his sash. (top and bottom – front and back) 8.5 x 7”; (right) 6.5 x 6”
Right top: KHALTA. Uzbekistan, 2nd quarter 20th c. Silk chain stitch on worn purple silk velvet; silk tassels with glass beads and metal spangles; Russian printed-cotton lining. The central motif is probably a stylized scorpion – a talismanic symbol. 6.75 x 5.75”
Right bottom: CHAI KHALTA (and detail). Uzbek-Lakai, 1st quarter 20th c. Silk cross-stitch (iroki) on cotton; ram’s horn motifs; silk tassel; glass beads; Russian printed-cotton lining. (left) 6.5 x 6”; (right) .75 x .75”
CRADLE COVER (Beshikpush).Samarkand, Uzbekistan, dated 1974. Silk and cotton couching and chain stitch on cotton; black cotton trim; unlined. A traditional baby cradle was crafted of wood with a horizontal turned handle that ran the length of the cradle. The beshikpush was draped over it to keep out drafts, light, insects, and any jealous evil spirits. 50 x 55”
“UZBEK FAMILY”.Uzbekistan, c.1930s-40s. Patchwork and whole-cloth quilts served as mattresses and seating. Quilts (kurpa) were neatly folded and stored in a pile along the wall of a house or tent. The stack of bedding was called a “chuk”. (photograph by Max Penson/©Maxime Penson)
QUILT.Uzbekistan, 3rd quarter, 20th c. Printed and plain cotton; embroidered fragments; machine-embroidered trim; printed-cotton lining. Patchwork (called “caroq”), not only recycled pieces of material into something functional and aesthetically pleasing, it also possessed powerful protective and auspicious properties. Cloth from a special occasion, a respected person, or from a woman with many children was often used. And the intricate patterns, usually composed with many small talismanic triangles, were thought to confuse evil spirts and drive them away. 74 x 64”
KYRGYZ YURT FRAMEWORK.Tekes Valley (located in the region where the borders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and China meet), c.1935. The task of assembling and dismantling the family’s yurt fell mostly to the women. The bentwood frame was covered with heavy wool felts and lattcework formed the interior walls. (photograph by Edward Murray)
TENT HANGING (Bashtyk).Kyrgyz, early 20th c. Silk chain and lacing stitch on imported wool broadcloth; silk tassels with Turk’s head knots and gold-wrapped thread; Russian printed-cotton backing. Traditionally bashtyks were backed with fabric to form a pouch, or hung hammocklike from the lattice wall to use for storage. Later, they were simply used as decorative hangings. 28 x 26”
“For coloring, the saddlery bazaar ranked high. The wooden saddles, with their pommel in front …whose glorious reds shone amid the various inlaid designs…The horse trappings, sufficient to deck a horse from head to tail, were of leather, covered with metal ornaments…colored bosses, beads, feathers; nothing omitted that could make a pony as gay as a macaw.”
CAMEL TRAPPINGS
Left: CAMEL TRAPPING (Duye Bashlyk). Probably Yomut Turkmen, early 20th c. Russian printed and plain cotton; imported wool broadcloth; silk; Russian printed-cotton lining. The feathers, buttons, triangles, and patchwork are all talismanic. The Turkey-red rectangular fabric at the base of the trapping is part of a Russian scarf. These trappings were made to adorn the camels in a Turkmen bridal procession. The duye bashlyk rested on the camel’s head with the patchwork panels hanging down on either side of its neck. 87 x 73”
Right: TURKMEN WEDDING. Central Asia, 1924. The bride sits inside a tentlike structure (kejebe). Woven pile carpets are wrapped around its base and a pair of wool asmaylyks hang on each side of the camel. A duye bashlyk similar to the one on this spread is draped across its neck. (photograph by Hudaibergen Divonov/courtesy Anahita Gallery, Inc.)
Left: CAMEL TRAPPING (Kuroma). Yomut Turkmen, early 20th c. Wool embroidery on imported wool broadcloth; Russian printed-cotton lining. One of a pair of patchwork trappings that hung along each flank. 33 x 42”
TURKMEN FAMILY.Tekke Turkmen, 1911. The family are sitting inside their tent dressed in their best clothes. Sunlight streams in through the spoked wooden roof wheel at the top of the tent, making a pattern on the woven wool carpet. The lattice walls are hung with camel trappings, including one similar to the piece shown in the next image. (photograph from the Library of Congress)
CAMEL TRAPPING (Kuroma).Tekke Turkmen, early 20th c. Handwoven silk stripes and checks; imported wool broadcloth; silk embroidery and fringe; block-printed cotton lining. One from a pair of kuroma - one was hung on each of the camel's flanks. 42 x 56”
CAMEL KNEE TRAPPING (Duye Dizlyk).Probably Yomut Turkmen, early 20th c. Russian plain and printed cotton; imported wool broadcloth; silk; Russian printed-cotton lining. The camels in a wedding procession had their forelegs decorated with small trappings. Always made in pairs, they were tied just above the knees and often hung with little bells that jingled as the camels walked. 18 x 17”
CAMEL KNEE TRAPPING. (Duye Dizlyk).Turkmen, early 20th c. Russian printed cotton; imported wool broadcloth; silk, handwoven plaid center; Russian printed- and plain-cotton lining. 16 x 22”
HORSE COVER.Kyrgyz, early 20th c. Wool lacing and chain stitch on handwoven cotton; woven wool trim and fringe; Russian printed- and striped-cotton lining. A man’s horse was often his most prized possession. For special occasions men decked their horses with large ornamental horse covers, saddle bolsters, headdresses, and bridles. This cover is a rather modest example. 50 x 71”
“A piece of calico is at once one of the most familiar, most useful, and perhaps the most wonderful of all the products resulting from the practical application of human ingenuity to the service of man…a bit of print is now found in almost every palace, cottage, hut, and tent of every country with which commercial relations have been established.”
BLOCK-PRINTED COTTON (Chit)
Left: BLOCK-PRINTED FABRICS (Chit). Uzbekistan, late 19th and early 20th c. The term”chit” refers to block-printed cotton cloth. The cloth was usually a plain-weave, handwoven cotton called “karbos”. The pattern was stamped on the cloth with wooden blocks (kolyb) by skilled artisans in their workshops. All of the fabrics shown here were vegetable dyed – the reds from madder, the blue from indigo.
Right: BLOCK-PRINTED SPREAD (and details). Uzbekistan, early 20th c. This finely block-printed cloth was designed to be used as a spread. It might have served as a quilt cover, or perhaps a cloth to serve food on (there was little or no furniture in a typical Uzbek home, so meals were eaten off a large cloth (dastarkhan) laid out on the floor.
CHIT WORKSHOP.Samarkand, Uzbekistan, 1871-72. These men are in the process of preparing and dying cloth. The man on the left is dipping fabric with a pattern already stamped on it into a large dye vat. (photograph from the Library of Congress)
IKAT PRODUCTION.Yodgorlik Silk Factory, Margilan, Uzbekistan, 2004. After the warp threads have gone through many processes and the final pattern has been achieved through a complex means of resist dyeing, the warp is ready to be strung on the loom, as shown in this photograph. (photograph by Elizabeth Hewitt)
IKAT CLOTHMargilan, Uzbekistan, c.1960s. This all-silk, satin-weave ikat (called “khanatlas”) was produced in what was once the huge Atlas Textile Combine. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, most of the textile combines ceased operating. 93 x 32” selvedge to selvedge as shown
"A TEXTILE COMBINE".Tashkent, Uzbekistan, 1938. Probably the Tashkent Textile Combine. As early as the 1920s and ‘30s, the Soviets began building large vertical textile factories (combines) in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. The Tashkent Textile Combine was the largest cotton-textile enterprise in the USSR. (photograph by Max Penson/©Maxime Penson)
FAUX-IKAT CLOTH.Tashkent Textile Combine, Uzbekistan, c.1980s. Cheaper still than machine-woven ikats, imitation ikats printed on silk, cotton, and synthetic materials were very popular for both women’s apparel and the home. This cotton example was used for the covering of a quilt (kurpa). 50 x 30” selvedge to selvedge as shown
“Behind the Shir-Dar [in Samarkand] we come to a bazaar – a series of arcades under a high domed roof. There is a dense crowd here, Oriental motely; veiled women in the flowing robes of the paranjas…a few unveiled women wearing velvet skullcaps on their dark hair. But mostly the crowd is male, a dense crowd of padded coats, flowered robes, turbans, velvet caps, huge round fur busbies, shaggy sheepskins…”
THE BAZAAR
Left top: BIBI-KHANUM MARKET. Samarkand, Uzbekistan, c.1900. Russian period postcard. One of the oldest bazaars in Central Asia – for over five hundred years it has taken place beside the ruins of Bibi-Khanum Mosque, the monumental building that Timur (Tamerlane) built in 1404.
Left top: TURKESTAN CURRENCY. Russian provisional 3-ruble note, 1918; Bukharan block-printed 5000-tenga note, 1918; Bukharan silver tenga coin, 1901-02.
Left bottom: SHIR-DAR MADRASSAH MARKET. Samarkand, c.1903. Shir-Dar is one of the three imposing madrassahs that make up the Registan, the central square of the city. (photograph by Annette Meakin)
Right top: MARKET BY THE ARK. Bukhara, Uzbekistan, 1895. The Ark, a massive mud-brick walled fortress, was the official residence and court of the rulers of Bukhara for over a thousand years.
Right bottom: GRAIN BAZAAR. Samarkand, 1915. “A rainbow was shattered and the fragments fell in the grain market of Samarkand.” (photograph and quotation by Maynard Owen Williams)
MELON MARKET. Andijan, Uzbekistan, c.1910-15. Russian period postcard. Melons are the pride and joy of Central Asia, especially Uzbekistan, where more than 150 varieties are grown. When hung fresh in a cool place, or dried in slices, they can be enjoyed year-round.
TURBAN VENDORS. Samarkand, 1871-72. Long, narrow turban cloth of fine muslin was woven locally and also imported from India and England. The cloth bazaar was one of the largest in the market, with each merchant usually selling a specific type of cloth. There were stalls for locally woven stripes (alacha and bekasab); hand-loomed plain-weave cotton (karbos); block-prints (chit); ikat; Russian printed cotton (sitetz), etc. (photograph from the Library of Congress)
RUSSIAN PRINTED FABRIC.Russia, c.1900. Art Nouveau cotton lining of a man’s bekasab robe. By the mid-19th century, Russian textiles were widely available in the markets of Central Asia. By the 1880s, they had flooded the cloth bazaars, especially printed-cotton material. Colorful, lightweight, and inexpensive it was popular with the local people, most of whom could not afford ikat, or other handwoven silk fabrics. 18 x 14” as shown
FLATBREAD VENDOR.Samarkand, 1911. Flatbread (non) is a staple in much of Central Asia. Cooked inside a clay tandoor oven, non served with the rice, shredded carrot, and mutton dish (plov) and endless bowls of pale green tea is a traditional Uzbek meal. (photograph from the Library of Congress)
CHAIKHANA.Samarkand, 1911. Teahouses (chaikhanas) were the social centers of the city or village. They could be found on a dusty backstreet; by a roadside canal; tucked under a massive shade tree; in an urban park or grimy station house. Seating was traditionally on a raised, usually carpeted, wooden platform called a “takhta”. Men would while away the hours sipping green tea, exchanging news, and perhaps be entertained by a traveling troupe of dancing boys (batchas). (photograph from the Library of Congress)
“I see no cause for rejoicing when the sun rises in the West, and the East, losing its leisure, learns to drink its tea with one lump or two of Stalinist propaganda.”
SOVIET INFLUENCE Lenin
Left: V.I. LENIN RUG. Uzbekistan, c.1950s-70s. Hand-knotted wool pile; cotton weft and fringe. “Cult of Personality” rugs with larger-than-life portraits of Soviet leaders were popular during this period. They were mainly used as wall hangings. 78 x 66”
Right top: “GLORY TO OCTOBER”. Russian period postcard, 1962. This card bears a Soviet slogan that celebrates the October revolution of 1917. Variations of this graphic profile of Lenin were often seen on posters, propaganda material, and textiles.
Right bottom: LENIN SUZANI. Uzbekistan, c.1970s. Silk couching on cotton; cotton crocheted trim with metal spangles; unlined. Suzanis with variations of this particular pattern were probably sewn in a Soviet artel. They may have been made to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Lenin’s birth (1870), or the 50th anniversary of his death (1924). 41 x 44”
WOMAN’S HATFerghana region, Uzbekistan, 1960s-70s. Silk cross-stitch on cotton; black velvet trim; plain-cotton lining. The Cyrillic letters spell out “KOSMOS” and refer to the Soviet space program. 5.5” D.
“PORTRAIT OF A WOMAN”.Tashkent, Uzbekistan, c.1930s. The young woman is wearing a Tashkent-style hat popular at the time. Quilts are stacked against the wall and Stalin is peering over her shoulder. Every home had a portrait of Stalin watching over. As Ethel Mannin observed on her journey to Samarkand in 1936, “There are pictures of Stalin on the sunbaked walls of mud huts in the deserts, and on the white-washed walls of lonely farmhouses in the steppe.” (photograph by Max Penson/©Maxine Penson)
"MARCH 8" (detail).Uzbekistan, dated 1974. Silk couching on cotton. Detail from a banner commemorating International Women’s Day. Three important and widely celebrated holidays introduced by the Soviets to Central Asia were International Workers’ Day (May 1st), International Women’s Day (March 8th), and Victory Day (May 9th - the day Germany surrendered to the Soviet Union in 1945). 27 x 29” as shown
“IN THE STREET OF TASHKENT”.Old Tashkent, c.1930s-early ‘50s. Two unveiled women in Western-cut coats among a group of women in paranjas and horsehair veils. In their determination to convert the Central Asian people to the Soviet way of life, the Bolsheviks concentrated their efforts on women, particularly the women of Uzbekistan. Their first step was to “liberate” the women by convincing them to stop veiling themselves. In 1927 the official campaign called “hujum” (a Turkic word meaning “struggle”) began. While some women did cast off their veils and paranjas, ironically it only succeeded in driving more women to don the paranja and veil as a sign of defiance and national identity. (photograph by Max Penson/©Maxime Penson)
COAT (Kamzul).Uzbekistan, c.1930s-50s. This is the type of Western-style coat that Uzbek women might wear if they chose to throw off the paranja. Banoras, lined with Russian-printed cotton. Banoras, a tightly-woven silk warp/cotton weft cloth with fine black pin-stripes, was the same fabric reserved for making paranjas. This coat may well have been re-styled from a paranja. It is very similar to the coat worn by the woman in the preceeding photograph.
“The [Alai] valley itself is a stretch of flowery alpine meadow of inconceivable beauty…rare flowers of every brilliant colour bloomed in profusion…Hundreds and hundreds of black Qirghiz yurts dotted the pastures, camels and yaks grazed peacefully side by side, flocks of innumerable sheep scrambled like chamois amongst the cliffs and rocks…Here is the last stronghold of Qirghiz freedom.”
PORTRAITS
Left top: WATER CARRIER. Jizzak, Uzbekistan, 1871-72. Men were paid by merchants in the bazaars to spray water from goatskin bags in order to keep down the street dust. (photograph from the Library of Congress)
Left top: UZBEK FAMILY. Probably Tashkent, Uzbekistan, c.1940s.
Left top: “A BEK OF CHARDZHOU IN EMBROIDERED ROBE”. Chardzhou (now Turkmenabat), c.1887. Russian period postcard. A bek was the highest-ranking official of a region.
Left bottom “YOUNG MAN OF TASHKENT”. Uzbekistan, 1906. This man of obvious rank wears a bekasab robe; belt with silver and/or gilt buckles and disk; elaborate turban.
Left bottom: “A MAN FROM BUKHARA”. Uzbekistan, c.1920s. German period postcard. Bekasab robe; Bactrian camel.
Right top: “BELLE OF OLD TASHKENT IN WEDDING COSTUME”. Uzbekistan, 1906. Russian printed-cotton dress; large Tashkent suzani in the background.
Right bottom: “MAN WITH PIPE”. Samarkand, Uzbekistan, 1911. This water pipe (chillum, hookah) was made from a dried, hollowed gourd mounted with decorative brass. (photograph from the Library of Congress)
Right bottom: “FAMILY OF BUKHARA”. Uzbekistan, c.1890s. Russian period postcard (printed c.1910). Women enjoyed smoking the water pipe too, albeit in the privacy of their homes. The pose and props are evocative of an Orientalist painting. (photograph by A. Engel)
BIBI-KHANUM MOSQUE.Samarkand, 1911. Built by Timur in 1404, supposedly for his favorite wife, it was too massive in scale to support its design and began to crumble in less than 100 years. A caravanserai is in the foreground. (photograph from the Library of Congress)
BATCHAS.Andijan, Uzbekistan, 1903. Wood engraving. Batchas were young boys or youths who usually belonged to a troupe of entertainers. They often assumed a feminine guise when dancing in public or at private gatherings.
“SAMARKAND STREET TYPES”.Uzbekistan, c.1915. Russian period postcard. The man in the orange print robe is smoking a water pipe that another man holds for him. Water pipes were often shared this way by a group of men in a social setting, or by strangers in the bazaar who paid for a few puffs.
“THE OLD AND THE NEW WAY IN TURKESTAN".1930. Two Kazakh woman and a child beside the recently completed Turkestan-Siberia (Turk-Sib) railway. The propaganda slogan on the side of the train reads, “We will cover the vast plains of Kazakhstan with a network of railways.”
HOUSE.Samarkand, 1911. Houses were built out of sun-dried mud brick and surrounded by high walls. Numerous narrow canals ("arik") ran alongside the roads and served for drinking, cooking, washing, and irrigation. (photograph from the Library of Congress)
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