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Khiva carpets
Having holidays in Uzbekistan, in Khorezm, in addition to stunning architecture, historical places and excellent cuisine, one cannot but pay attention to national Khiva carpet products.
Carpet weaving in Uzbekistan goes back to antiquity. Archaeologists have found samples woven in the first millennium BC. There are three ancient schools of weaving. Khorezm carpets should be specifically noted.
Ancient and beautiful Khorezm was once a great and powerful state, the commercial and economic center of Central Asia. From time immemorial, the blessed land of Khorezm was famous for its carpets, the production of which was mainly engaged in the nomadic tribes of the Turkmen and Karakalpak. It was Turkmen long-pile carpets that were taken as the basis by Khorezm carpet masters; and in time brought deserved fame. But with the collapse of the Khorezm Khanate, in the period of unrest, many national crafts fell into decay. The same fate befell the carpet weaving of Khorezm. According to scientists, at the end of the 19th century, in the capital of the mighty Khanate in Khiva carpet manufacture almost did not exist.
Today in Khiva, once the capital of the ancient empire, and now one of the historical centers of the country, the forgotten craft is successfully revived.
At present, the development of carpet weaving in Khiva takes place in three directions: domestic production, the manufacture of hand-made carpets on the basis of state-owned enterprises, and the support of private firms engaged in this difficult trade.
Khorezm carpet products are woven from sheep wool, of a special breed - takaynamat. The main traditional features of such carpets are bright rich colors, as well as the combination of the geometric base of the pattern with a stylized floral ornament.
Today masters of the Khiva carpet factory have glorified the city with products worthy of entering any collection of the world. The most interesting is the new direction of their development, the so-called "portrait carpets", for the manufacture of which, they apply the ancient technology "wool + silk".
The technology is a combination of silk and wool components. The basis of such products are usually silk threads, the background part of the carpet of wool, the ornament is again made of silk.
Silk is used as a basis in order to combine the strength and elasticity, to give the opportunity to put on the surface as many nodules (strokes) as possible and to draw a contour sufficiently accurately. Then the wool background comes, and then again the silk touches applied to the contrast, achieving photographic clarity, which is so necessary in portrait carpet weaving.
Today in the historical center of the city - Ichan-Kala, in front of many tourists, craftswomen create their wonderful masterpieces of Khiva silk carpets. The whole family is busy in the production process of Khiva carpets.
Other Sightseeing Opportunities in Khiva
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