Tours To Uzbekistan


Carpet factory in Samarkand

Rubric: Handicrafts
Published: 28 november 2018

Where else but in the East, one can observe an abundance of bright colors and tints. And oriental carpets are still famous for this.
Uzbekistan has always been famous for producing carpets. Uzbek carpets are rich in embossing and drawing. While being in Samarkand, you of cause will see carpets of unusual colors, weaved by skilled girls, who produce this beauty by their hands.
In Samarkand you should visit the carpet factory “Khudjum”, where for many years the famous silk “miracle” has been producing by hand. Only natural silk threads are used for this, and carpets are weaved on vertical or horizontal weaving looms.
Unfortunately, the technology of producing these unique articles by the middle of the XIX century had been almost lost. And only by the end of 90s of last century by laborious task, step by step the forgotten trade was restored in Margilan, Khiva and Samarkand.
Carpet weaving is long and very minute work, it can continue from 6 months till one year. Girls, who work at this factory, make to 40 carpets for one month. Interesting the fact that girls work individually or two by two and if one is ill, work stops. Nobody can replace another girl because style is different. There is a version, in order the carpet is beautiful and qualitative girls should not quarrel during the work.
The high of the carpet pile do not overtop 2 mm., meanwhile, carpets are very soft and nice to the touch. Silk carpets are very hardwearing and long-lived. With the lapse of time their colors do not fade, threads do not become threadbare, so carpets do not grow old, and vice-versa, they get nobility, luster and charm.
Carpet dyes are not synthetic, but natural, got from extracts of oak, peel of walnut, garnet crust and stems of asparagus. The only imported color is indigo. By the way, many plants needed to create the dyes, such as madder, making all shades of red scale, is grown right there on the territory of the factory. Thanks to vegetable colors contrasting tones of the patterns somewhat are washed away and eventually form a silver or gold play that is very much appreciated by connoisseurs.
Usually gardens and oases are depicted at the Uzbek carpets. The pattern of the famous carpet of Sasanid king Khosrov (V- IV c.) was the base of silk weaving. Woven by his order masterpiece, depicted favorite garden of the ruler.
Hence the central medallions of carpets depicting the main flower bed in the middle of the king's garden originated. Repeating pattern along the edge is park paths, and small floral rosettes at the corners of the carpet - flower beds in each corner of the garden.
As it was above written, in the pattern of silk carpets usually national compositions and traditional Uzbek ornament are used. But at the factory “Khudjum” you may order the carpet by your own wish and sketch. You can also choose the existing easier example, there are always ready carpets at the factory, and to buy the silk carpet “at first hand” is a big fortune and good investment.

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