Culture of Uzbekistan: Applied Arts
Handicraft developed in Uzbekistan from century to century, leaving unique products of the unknown foremen with rich arts, imaginations and perfection in Uzbek heritage. Due to the changes of social and economic conditions, handicraft gradually became the second after industrial productions on an extent of 20th century.
Ceramic. Pottery was one of the most developed manufactures of the Central Asia for several years. Spray and dry ceramics of the leading centers had local peculiarities that have been reflected in the original forms of final products. Number of local pottery centers are preserved to present days, such as Rishton, Ghijduvon, Khiva, Samarkand, Gurumsaray, Shakhrisabz, Urgut, Khorezm and Tashkent.
Engraving. Modern foremen, who work with a brass and copper, manufacture high quality products of engraving. A subtlety and wealth of patterns are inherent in the ware by the Bukhara foremen. Alongside the use of traditional forms of products, now foremen search for new forms and styles in the field.
Wood engraving. Masters of wood engraving in Kokand National Heritage Center use oak and nut trees. Creating traditional products common in the East (caskets, bookshelves, and craved tables), they transfer rich traditions of geometrical ornaments.
Gold embroidery. Traditional center of this kind of crafts is in Bukhara. Today embroidery art is popular among the younger generation, as well. The foremen produce goods in the best traditions of the Bukhara gold embroidery.
Embroidery. Traditional centers of manufacturing of suzana are: Nurata, Bukhara, Samarkand, Shakhrisabz, Tashkent and Fergana. Many young artists have become interested in these kind of art. This is, not casual - as if creative energy in the people has woken up, by feeling an opportunity of practical realization and material effect, which in its turn led the flourishing of many kinds of traditional arts.
Dolls. Manufacturing of dolls is one of the particularly lost and revived arts. In recent history, theatrical presentations of dolls were the favorite entertainment of both villages and town drewllers. The doll master of Bukhara study a history of a Bukhara costume, use traditional technology of tailoring, embroidery, and the Bukhara karakul fur.
Carpeting. Now manufacturing of carpets in Uzbekistan develops in 3 directions: homemade, state and private companies. Carpet masters produce all kinds of carpets in these provinces. Old classical Uzbek and Turkmen carpets are used as main samples in carpet making. Main tasks of carpet-makers include the restoration of ancient drawings, creation of new good quality products, and above all, - restoration of technology of traditional dying of natural fabric. Long use of aniline dyes had its negative effect upon aesthetic qualities of the homemade carpets with further turning them to an ordinary household item.
Silk weaving. The revival of the silk weaving is related to the activity of "Yodgorlic" company in Margilan. Today production of national fabrics such as atlas, khon-atlas, shkhi-bekasam and bakhmal is restored. Ancient traditional patterns are revived, and at the same time, special attention is paid towards restoration of natural dyes.
Silk carpets. Production of silk carpets is revived in Samarkand, where silk carpet factory has been established. The factory only uses local natural dyes, which give the final product a sense of originality.
The carpets are woven an vertical and horizontal looms. Density ranges from 600-800 thousand knots to 1 million 200 thousand knots per square meter. The length of nap does not exceed 2 mm. The silk string goes both into a base and weft of a carpet. The final product is extremely thin and simultaneously solid. The quality of work is very high, but the main feature is its decorations. Handmade carpets are made during several months.
Varnished painting. In revival of the varnished painting, a tradition, which was completely lost, the technology of varnish and Oriental tradition of miniature painting is used. Through a varnish painting a verity of small and basic caskets are decorated. The painting is carried out using natural dyes with egg yolk base.
Jewelry. The art of jewelry making in Uzbekistan has its long traditions. From the century to century zargar masters have created unique jewelry items. In the second half of the 20th century jewelry became an industrial product, which resulted to some unification of jewelry items, a gradule simplification and distortion of traditional forms of ornaments, and the refusal of some kinds of technology.
Culture of Uzbekistan: Literature
The most ancient samples of the Uzbek literature concern to poetic creativity, integral of culture of Uzbek people. The large place belongs to fairy tales such as about the animals, magical-fantastic themes and household stories. The national imagination created a collective image of Nasritdin Affandi, the main hero and wise character of Uzbek national jokes.
The largest genre of the Uzbek folklore is dastan (poem). It was executed usually in support of musical tools.
Pre-Islamic culture is represented by insignificant number of written monuments in Old Turkic languages.
The most blooming period of Uzbek literature came on the scene during the period of Amir Temur and his dynasty. Compositions by Akhmad Yassaviy, Akhmad Yugnaky and Kharazmy were widely popular among the public. Uzbek literature of that period served a significant stage in its historical development.
One of the bright lyric poets of the 15th century was Lutfy, who in his poems used to highlight an ideal love. Poems by Atai and Sakkay are also among brilliant examples. The special place belongs to works by Alisher Navoi. He combined his lyrics in four collections, including kasidas, gazelas, kitas, rubais and others.
Historical event of the 16th century were told in "Shayboniynoma" (1506), as well as in works by Zakhriddin Muhammad Bobur, who said to have led records throughout his life, which later become a source for his autobiographical work, entitled "Boburnoma", a remarkable literary and historical essay.
In the 18-19 centuries the Fergana Valley, Khorezm and Bukhara became on the scene. There were progressive poets of the period such as Mukimy, Furkat, AvaOtar, Zavky, Khamza Khakimzoda Niyozy, Sadriddin Ainy and Anbar Otin.
In early 20th century new poets and writers emerged in Uzbek literature: Abdulla Kodiry, Chulpon, Fitrat, Oybek, Gafur Gulom, Abdulla Kakhor, Khamid Olimjon, and Uyghun. New genres like political satire, feuilleton, and pamphlet came on the scene.
Culture of Uzbekistan: Architecture
Uzbekistan is a country of ancient high culture of its exceptional architectural patterns.
Famous historians of the East in their writings on the ancient cities such as Bukhara, Samarkand and Khiva and other places of the rulers, places of residence of aristocracy, market places, madrasah, mausoleums, and describe them as very beautiful with evergreen gardens.
In the 11th-12th centuries, Samarkand became one of the major cities in the region. There was an intensive construction of attractive houses, civil and religious buildings. The growth of the cities, increase of the urban population, and expansion of internal and international trade routes caused construction of many caravansaraies. Among the urban places, such as mosques and praying houses were designed with special attention.
Architecture of Temur's period is a fine example of a modern city in the 13th century. Strong castles were symbols of strong government, authority and victory of Islamic civilization, marketplaces - symbol of the role of trade, and the living quarters - the essence of the complex urban life. Among the most significant buildings of that time were palaces, such as Oksaroy in Shakhrisabz, the Bibi-Khonim Mosque and the Guri Emir Mausoleum, large part of the complex of Shokhi Zinda, the Ulugbek Madrasah in Samrkand.
The architectural buildings of Central Asia in the 16th and 17th centuries are very famous around the world. A few of them are Registam in Samarkand, Minaret Kalon, Lyabi Khavuz, Abulaziz Khan madrasah in Bukhara, and other.
Khiva became a fine example of Central Asian open-museum city in the middle of the 18th century when there were constructed large ensembles and buildings.
An inhabited house of 19th century in Bukhara has a closed character and is isolated from street noise and dust. Its isolated rooms were built according the the weather changes and create a unique microclimate in both the heat and cold.
An increased terrace opened to the wind promotes the creation of a favorable microclimate in houses in Khiva. In Fergana, for example, houses had sliding walls and shutters, and were decorated with niches, ganch and other characteristic conditions.
In the second half of the 19th century, the regular national architechture eas affected by the root principles od European architecture. There was new types of buildings - banks, schools, gymnasiums, etc. The basic material to buid thick walls was burned brick, which gave stability during earthquakes.
Culture of Uzbekistan: Fine arts
The most ancient monuments of art on the territory of Uzbekistan are the rock paintings of animals and hunting scenes of the Paleolithic period in the Zarautsoi settlement. Some rock drawings of animals in Khajakent and Bustanlik belong to the Neolithic period.
The clay statues with colored paintings, discovered in Khalchayon settlement (1st century B.C.), vary in their depiction of human figure - grandees, deities, warriors, musicians and children.
The gypsum statues from Buddist sanctuary at Dalvarzintepa (2nd century) represent authentic images of flowers of Buddism thet dates back to the Bactrian and Kushan reign.
The style of art depicted in ancient monuments is said to have also reflected in the applied art of antique Uzbekistan. The ancient art as a whole depicts original features pertaining to all over Central Asia, but the remains of items discovered in the southern regions distinctly revel Hellenic, and later on - Indian roots.
The 14th and 15th centuries saw the renaissance of fine art. Paintings of landscapes have been preserved to days in Samarkand mausoleums. Some palaces of Amir Temur used to be decorated with pictorial panels with portraits of the ruler himself, his wives, sons, associates, as well as rich and feast scenery depicted on them.
During 16th and 17th centuries significant success was achived in the manuscript art and bookbinding.
At the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries, fine art began gradually to permeate the lives of Uzbek people, at the first in the form of commercial printed products, and later - in the form of magazines and books. The early 20th century saw the development of poster and graphic arts.
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