For many centuries, in various civilizations and in the most remote corners of the planet, artisans used felt from the wool of sheep, rams and even llamas to create essential items: clothing, blankets, shoes and much more.
People made felt carpets and decorated their homes with them, hung them on the walls, and covered the floors. The wool carpets were used as an insulating material that protected nomadic tribes from the cold piercing wind in the mountains and to retain the heat from a small fire lit in the center of the yurt.
The advantages of such products are exceptional density and low thermal conductivity. Carpets in a yurt saved people from the summer heat, served as an excellent waterproofing material, and prevented dampness and moisture from spreading inside the home. Thicker carpets were used as mattresses and thin ones as blankets.
The Kyrgyz people began using felt to make carpets and other household items in ancient times. The development and improvement of each type of Kyrgyz carpet art was influenced by a multitude of factors that included living conditions, climate, natural conditions and social factors.
The shyrdak is the most popular national felt carpet in Kyrgyzstan. It is made by using a mosaic technique that is considered as among the most complex. A major quality of the shyrdak is its durability, and its average service life is about 100 years, often more.
Shyrdak festival in Naryn, June 28, 2024
In 2012, Kyrgyz felt carpets shyrdak and ala-kiyiz were inscribed on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in need of urgent protection.
There is a legend that the first shyrdak was created on Noah's Ark. The sheep were kept in very tight quarters. The sheep's wool fell on the floor, got wet and was whipped up by hooves. And when the sheep left the Ark, a felted carpet was left in the room.
The shyrdak carpet is one of the most valuable household items of the Kyrgyz people, which explains the great importance attached to the dowry of girls, which must include a shyrdak carpet.
In the past, a mother, a grandmother or relatives have to prepare a shyrdak to give a dowry. The mothers, who can’t make a shyrdak, ordered it from the craftsmen. In such cases, the women of the village gather and help one another. Nowadays, one can buy a ready-made shyrdak in the bazaar.
Making one shyrdak carpet is a labor-intensive process, and craftswomen spend several months to make one carpet. Most often, and to share the burden, Kyrgyz women work in groups that include mainly relatives or neighbors.
In general, the whole process takes place throughout the year: in the spring, the wool is sheared, then it is washed, dried, beaten, dyed, fluffed. In the next stage, and with the help of boiling water, soap and chiy (a reed mat), it is felted into a kiyiz - a felt carpet.
Men during the felting process
The process of creating a shyrdak is as follows: the carpet is made from two types of felt, the top layer is made of thin felt, onto which a colored pattern is applied, the bottom layer is made of thick felt, either brown or black.
Pieces of colored felt are folded together and sewn. The ornament is applied with a piece of chalk and cut out with a sharp knife. It is amazing that the background and the pattern have almost the same area, which gives the carpet a unique style.
Among the traditional shyrdak patterns are animals, deer antlers, yurts, lakes and mountains. At one time, shyrdaks could be found in every Kyrgyz home; however, the tradition gradually faded away.
Fortunately, in recent years, Kyrgyz carpets have gradually regained their former popularity.
A woman posing during the Shyrdak festival in Naryn.
One of the elements of the carpet creation technique is quilting-shyryk (from which the name shyrdak has originated), which contributes to the durability of the carpet.
Quilting replicates the design of the pattern, which leads to the appearance of a pattern inside the felt pattern. The average size of a shyrdak is three by four meters. To felt one carpet of such size, wool from five or six sheep is necessary.
Two years ago, craftswomen from Kyrgyzstan’s Naryn region made the longest shyrdak in the world, more than 130 meters. Over 70 women worked for a year on it. The craftsmen tried to get into the Guinness Book of Records with this shyrdak.
Women sitting on the longest shyrdak on the world
Many foreigners who visit Kyrgyzstan are often interested in shyrdak and other felt products.
Shyrdak of a small size is a good gift. Deputy Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Edil Baisalov, upon his appointment in 2019 as ambassador to the United Kingdom, presented a Kyrgyz shyrdak to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as a symbol of the ancient traditions of applied art of the Kyrgyz people. He offered it following the official ceremony of presenting his credentials to Queen Elizabeth II.
Today, shyrdak is one of the rarest types of carpet art in Kyrgyzstan. In order to preserve this tradition for centuries, the government has selected shyrdak felt carpets for inclusion in the UNESCO cultural heritage list.
In order to preserve the national heritage, the Kyrgyz authorities organize master classes and exhibitions to promote and preserve traditional knowledge on making shyrdaks.
The events aim to help wide audiences, including young people, to learn more about the rich culture and diversity of traditional handicraft of the Kyrgyz people related to the culture of felt carpet production.
A shyrdak festival is held annually in Kyrgyzstan, where the craftsmen from all the regions of the country participate and exhibit their products.
Such events aim to strengthen understanding and respect for the cultural heritage of Kyrgyzstan, focusing on its role in the modern world and the importance of preserving national traditions for future generations and for humanity.
Nurzhan Kasmalieva
Comments
Post Comment