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| Kyrgyz Decorative Patterns |
The history of Central Asia, the origin of its culture, its customs and traditions were for the longest time blank pages on the great book of the history of the world. When in the IXX century the first Russian travelers and scientists ventured into the area that is today known as Kirgizia, to map out Turkestan, they used to joke that mankind knows much more about the moon than about these mysterious lands. Little wonder, since the territory of modern Kirgizia was cut off by vaste expanses of steppe, enormous mountain ranges, deserts. Thus the culture of the Kyrgyz people, the ultimate nomades, was foremost shaped by nature. Nature was all powerful and a nomade's entire universe were the blessings and threats of nature. His emotions, joy or fear, happiness or gloom, his hopes and wishes, his dreams and realistic experiences were determined by his community and to a high degree by his natural environment. His heard, animals he hunted, berries, fruits, roots, cereals his food source. Wolfs, snakes his enemies. The sun, animal imprints, the stars, his sheep dog his guides. The nomades' belongings are few. All the more care is taken to  make the item of every day use beautiful, to decorate them with ornaments. The Kyrgyz of pre-islamic times had as their only point of reference for their applied arts their emotions and their direct natural environment. Survival depended on the ability of a tribe to live closely together and to adapt to nature. Harmony is a key word for the survival of the ancient Kyrgyz and their great sense of harmony finds its highest estethic expression in the applied arts and in their timelessly beautiful crafts, in the harmonious composition of the patterns, the proportions and the color combinations, all based on natural dyies.  The crafts of ancient Kyrgyz were weaving, felt making and embroidery. Weaving automatically implies geometric patterns, abstractions. Woven pieces were for example used for the construction and adornment of the home, the yurt, thus the symbols were related to blessings for the family, shelter and protection from negative elements. On the other hand, felt making also leaves the possibility for rounded shapes, swirls, abstractions of plants, for instance, all the while preserving an indispensible symmetricality. Kyrgyz craft have developed over millenia, the technical skills being handed down over many generations. Today, Kyrgyzstan's brilliant artisan felt makers are combining the skills and cultural essence of their forfathers with a stunning color palette, producing highly fashionable home accessories that look trendy in any Western home, personal accessories that are eye catchers on the streets of Paris, New York or London and a range of beautifully finished gift items that are certain to delight friends and family. Lyudmila Akmatova |
