Stretching as far back as 114BC, documentation of the Silk Road describes the vital role of trade routes and the production of silk throughout Central Asia. Although these ancient roads cease to exist for the purpose of trade, their lasting legacy has remained a crucial part of the culture and livelihood of countries like Uzbekistan. As we traveled to six cities around Uzbekistan we saw how silk is still central to the development of the country and the role it plays in preserving the history of the region. The customs and traditions involved in silk are intricately woven into the fabric of clothes, paper, and home furnishings, and help the world understand how Uzbek culture has continued to evolve since it was simply a stop on the Silk Road.
The detailed patterns embroidered using silk threads on traditional wall furnishings
The history of silk is extensive so I will be looking at its roots in the context of national costumes, carpets, and a brief overview of other uses. My love of national costumes immediately drew my attention to the traditional clothing of people in Uzbekistan, much of which is constructed of silk. Men typically wear chapans, quilted robes made of pattern silk fabric and tyubeteikas, the traditional skull cap which are often embroidered with silk threads. The national dress of women is similar to that of men, typically composed of silk robes and trousers accompanied by head scarves. However a significant amount of symbolism lies under the layers of fabric. The headdress for instance was often used to symbolize a woman’s marital status in earlier centuries. Small skull caps were worn by young unmarried women, a shawl covers the skull cap of a married woman, and skull caps when accompanied by a turban often signified a woman with children.
The most elaborate and symbolic of these costumes is the paranja, known in modern times as the burqa worn by some Muslim women. This garment fully covers the face of the wearer, allowing one to see through two small eye slits. The front portion of the garment is typically made of horsehair and can be somewhat heavy, the back of the dress can be made of various fabrics including silk, but is at the very least intricately embroidered using silk thread. In the back, two long false sleeves are arranged according to the marital status of the woman wearing it. If the sleeves are tied the woman is married, and a single woman would wear these sleeves unfastened. Along with the paranja, if a woman had children she could indicate this with the addition of a silk lachek, a headpiece with long strands extending from the halo around the head. The number of strands corresponded to the number of children a woman had, and it could be decorated or adorned with additional embellishments to signify age and economic status. The color and ornaments used in the design of this clothing varies based on region, gender, ethnicity, and age, often changing throughout a person’s life to signify their identity.
The role of silk in national clothing is less prominent in everyday life, but the presence of silk has not become obsolete, in fact one of the largest industries in Uzbekistan thrives on silk: carpets! The Hudzhum carpet factory in Samarqand provides a glimpse into the world of carpet making from the dying of silk thread to the hands-on process of weaving a carpet. Workers spend eight hours a day crafting carpets of various sizes and designs. Depending on the dimensions, the average silk carpet takes roughly six months to complete. There are eight movements involved in the weaving process, five tools, and according to one of the weavers the process is “easy!” But what happens when a craftsman makes a mistake? Wouldn’t one’s eyes become strained and tired after repeating the same intricate motion for hours at a time? The answers to these questions were more obvious than we expected. If a mistake is made action is taken according to the size of the mistake: if it is unrecognizable to the human eye, they continue as normal, if it is an obvious deviation from the intended pattern a tool is used to carefully separate the error from the rest of the carpet and is then removed. As for eye fatigue, the designs themselves require several colors and attention to detail, meaning there is enough visual stimulation to prevent issues with sight.
Since silk is the softest material in the world it is no surprise that the weaving of carpets must be done by hand to preserve quality. The tools are even specifically crafted to handle the material, like the scissors seen in the video above, they are constantly sharpened to ensure the threads are cut with consistent force. These carpets illustrate the different elements of Uzbek culture, some designs are national patterns, some are regionally specific, some are inspired religious beliefs, and some simply depict traditional Central Asian symbols. Each pattern is crafted with reference to people and events symbolic in Uzbek history, attesting to the resilience of the culture. Despite their indescribable beauty and meaning, handmade silk products come at an understandable price, for one of these Uzbek silk carpets you should expect to pay thousands of dollars. Your wallet may regret it but your hands, feet, and house would relish in its luxury. Having made silk carpet angels and thoroughly examined the fabric by hand these rugs are 100% Carleton student approved*!
*Unfortunately our petition to get a silk carpet for the Russian lounge was denied.
However some uses for silk are less prominent, or have been removed from production. In early attempts at papermaking, silk was used in combination with cotton, but eventually phased out as mulberry fibers were more effective in retaining ink while still being malleable and soft. Similarly, silk was used in early minting up until Soviet times. Paper money was made of silk and was stamped with the desired monetary value. These bills would have circulated throughout the Silk Road, and may have been exchanged in caravanserais (essentially camel/traveler hotels) in cities along state borders. Silk paper is still used on a small scale for artistic purposes like straw art where pieces of straw are woven into silk paper to form a picture. Although these uses of silk are limited, they exemplify how silk has evolved and been adapted to the demands of the modern economy. Silk continues to highlight elements of Uzbek culture and is central to the history and development of Uzbekistan as a state.
