Longread Shyrdak

Shyrdak

Until quite recently, this kind of Kyrgyz traditional applied art was in danger of disappearing, yet now famous hotels decorate their rooms with it, it lays in homes in North America, Europe and Southeast Asia, journalists from all over the world come to report on it, and young Kyrgyz craftswomen take up the craft with enthusiasm.

This decorative applied art of the Kyrgyz people was born from the centuries-old history of nomads. Communication with the local nature, with its snow-capped mountain peaks, turbulent rivers, oases and high-mountain valleys, has formed the character and delicate artistic taste of the Kyrgyz. And the striving of the Kyrgyz people for beauty has created incredible examples of folk invention and the perfection of artistic vision.

In the nomadic life of the Kyrgyz, wool was widely used. Wool products and materials made from wool were used for the construction and decoration of dwellings, clothing, and items related to horse and pack transport. Felt serves as an excellent insulator. The fact is that natural sheep wool, from which felt is made, excellently absorbs and evaporates moisture while remaining dry and warm and also protecting homes from cold, rain, wind, sunlight and dampness.

In the manufacture of felt, as a result of centuries of practice, the Kyrgyz have achieved great perfection. Kyrgyz felt, distinguished by its high strength, is in high demand in the markets.

One of the traditional types of Kyrgyz handicrafts is the manufacture of patterned felt carpets from ornamented felt.

A shyrdak is a Kyrgyz felt carpet, one of the oldest and most complex in its technique of making felt products. With the influence of globalization, this craft was recently in danger of extinction as people stopped using shyrdak altogether. Now, the craft has found new breath and is coming back into fashion as people come to understand that the shyrdak is not only very beautiful, but durable and environmentally friendly as well. Hotels and business centers have begun to decorate their interiors with them, and the world famous French fashion house HERMES has released $1,000 scarves with shyrdak ornamentation.

(photos of a hand scarf, shyrdak in modern interiors, photos of clients)

How did felt come about?

The history of the emergence of felt art goes back centuries. There is a legend that the first felted carpet appeared on Noah's ark. The sheep there were in very close quarters. Their wool, falling to the floor, got wet and was compressed by their hooves. When the sheep left the ark, a felted carpet remained in the room.

Felt art is an integral part of Kyrgyz handicrafts. It seems to contain a whole poem about the life of the Kyrgyz people. Each pattern is fraught with the surrounding world, and the color schemes and techniques tell about the life and philosophy of the area where it was made. After all, each region of Kyrgyzstan has its own unique character.

Various uses of ornamented felt

In the past, a variety of felt products were important elements of the decoration of yurts and nomadic caravans. These include the strips (jabyk bash) which covered the dome of the yurt from the inside, special bedspreads for decorating household things folded near the place of honor (juk jabuu), bags for storing household items (ayak koichu bashtyk), cups, plates (ayak kap), and wooden spoons (kashyk kap). The same technique was used to decorate the covers (uuk kap, kerege kap) in which the ends of domed poles (uuk) and links of the lattice frame of the yurt were wrapped during migrations.

How is shyrdak made?

The process of making one shyrdak requires a lot of time and labor and, in general, this process lasts a year. It all starts with the shearing of a sheep's wool. For high-quality felt this must be done in the fall. To make one shyrdak, the wool of five sheep is needed.

In all cases, before use, the wool is subjected to the necessary processing: it is washed, beaten and, if necessary, dyed. The wool is washed in running water and beaten (jun saboo) with a pair of long rods. The use of rhythmic strong blows from the right or left hand makes the wool fluffier and cleaner, since impurities are separated during blows. Then begins the bulkhead of the wool by hand – jun tytuu – which requires more time.

Making felt is connected exclusively with a manual, rather strenuous and laborious process. The production of one medium-sized felt piece (120 * 240cm) takes about 3-4 people 6-7 hours.

After beating, the wool is lain out on an achnatherum or scirpus mat spread out on the ground, somewhat larger than the intended felt. The women take the wool in their left hand and apply it to the mat, holding the hand palm up. With her right hand, the craftswoman tears off the wool with tweaks and lays it in an even layer on the mat. The surface of the layer is leveled all the time. This is how the first layer, which determines the size of the felt, is laid, and then the second upon it.

Prepared loose wool must be sprayed with hot water. Then three or four people roll (oroit) the wool together tightly with the mat into a roll, They tie this with a lasso and begin to roll it with their feet (basat). During the rolling process, the mat is opened several times and the felt is doused with hot water.

The felted felt is then rolled by hand, a process requiring longer time since the felt must be very dense and thin (3-5 mm).

Felt made of wool can be dyed. It is common to die pieces in three different colors. Wool of natural white and brown color is also used. The favorite colors of the Kyrgyz people were in and still remain blue, red, yellow and orange. Previously, plant dyes were used for coloring. For this they used roots, stems, fruits of various plants and berries.

Ornaments are already cut out of the finished felt. Designing an ornament requires a lot of experience in cutting a pattern. This is what the oimochu craftswomen do. These carpet makers are the keepers of the most ancient national traditions in ornamental art. While carefully preserving traditions, these craftswomen also bring in a lot of their own original designs. Being true creators, they create new forms and compositions of the patterned felt carpet, enriching the Kyrgyz repertoire of patterns. In most cases, these craftswomen do not make or store any stencils. They cut the felt with a sharpened knife or scissors along the contour of a pattern previously drawn with chalk, skillfully coordinating not only the construction of the ornament in the carpet and its composition, but also the size, dimension, and shape of the carpet or other product.

Photo tape (infographics): Shyrdak ornaments and their meaning

swan or flame - love;

ram's horn - prosperity;

crow's claws - the legacy of a person after leaving to another world;

falcon wings - freedom;

dog tail - strong friendship;

tulip - spring.

Kiyal - 14, 18, 23, 24

Kochkorok - 12, 13, 16, 17

Karga tyrmak - 14

Sinar muyuz - 22

Kush - 15, 25, 26

Salbai - 14, 10, 11

Barmak

14.6.7

The formulation of shyrdak ornamentation is based on a combination of two contrasting colors. The pattern is cut simultaneously from two identical pieces of felt of different colors. The cut patterns are shifted, and the edges of the felts of different colors are sewn together. In this way, the upper side of the carpet is made, under which a simple felt (oro kiyiz) is placed and carefully quilted with a woolen thread shoona. The lines of the stitches are made to run parallel to the outline of the ornamentation. Quilting gives the pattern not only strength, but also a kind of relief. The term shyrdak takes its name from the word shyryk, or stitch. The final stage of the work is the masking of the seam lines of the cut patterns by the sewing on of a cord (jeek) made of wool.

Depending on the region, the sequence of work and the names may differ. For example, the southern Kyrgyz call such carpets shyrdamal while, in the Talas region, first cut patterns are sewn to each other, then they are connected to the base of the alamachy. In some places of the Chui region jeek is called milte.

Apart from among the Kyrgyz, this technique of making felt carpets is unfamiliar to the other peoples of Central Asia. It is widely used only among the Kazakhs, where, as among the Kyrgyz, the range of items decorated with felt mosaics includes bedspreads for chests. They also have a similar carpet called a syrmak, syrdak or syrdamal.

Infographic: details of shyrdak

Oyum (ornament) - skillfully cut pieces of felt;

Jeek * - woolen cord, which is sewn on the line of cut-out patterns;

* in some places of Chui region it is called "milte"

Shyryk - quilting a shyrdak with a woolen thread "shoona", the lines of stitches are parallel to the outline of the ornament;

Oro kiyiz ** (shyrdak base) is a simple dark colored felt over which an ornamented felt is quilted.

** in Talas region it is called "alamachy"

Traditions associated with shyrdak

Since ancient times, and even now, shyrdak have been included in dowries. The shyrdak was used to determine what kind of wife a bride would be and how skillful her hands were. Earlier, wealthy families invited the best masters to the bride's house, where they participated in the preparation of the dowry. Since the process is long and laborious, the daughters began to make shyrdak from an early age, and the girls themselves often participated in these processes. Fellow villagers also arranged kiyiz ashar, where they gathered in one house and worked on the whole process together. Thus, the knowledge and experience were passed on from generation to generation. Nowadays, with the development of the market, shyrdak can be bought or ordered at your discretion.

World Heritage Conservation Activities

In order to preserve the tradition of this rare type of carpet art for future generations, the ornamented felt ala kiyiz and shyrdak were included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List on December 4-7, 2012 as an endangered craft. In order to popularize the shyrdak, a republican-scale Shyrdak festival began to be held every year in the Naryn region. It is attended by artisans from across the country and is very popular among tourists. Additionally, from time to time seminars and exhibitions dedicated to shyrdak are held in the city of Bishkek with a corner dedicated to the shyrdak artisans who happily hold master classes.

Shyrdak in a modern interior

Skillful Kyrgyz craftswomen continue to pass on their skills and traditional patterns from generation to generation, so now everyone has the opportunity to purchase traditional shyrdak made in the same patterns as hundreds of years ago.

At first glance, the appearance of the felt may seem somewhat rustic, but with proper use and good work of the designer, the shyrdak will become a stylish and modern addition to any interior, and in some cases even its highlight. Shyrdak add warmth and coziness to even the coldest and most inhospitable of rooms.

Classic felt carpets look great not only in traditional homes, but also in modern interiors with modern or hi tech styles, and they work especially well in the oriental style.

Phototape with the following descriptions:

• the shyrdak can be placed in the center of the room, creating an accent, or placed in the corner, changing the space and breaking symmetry;
• shyrdak look great on the sofa or as bedside rugs;
• shyrdak continue to be hung on the wall;
• carpets with a smaller thickness can also be used to cover furniture;
• these are also used as blankets.

How to care for a shyrdak

With proper care, a shyrdak can last up to 100 years. Loss of such a felt carpet can be the result of improper care of the product. You thus need to know how to care for your shyrdak at home.

The properties of wool are familiar to everyone: light and warm, this material has the property of hygroscopicity, that is, it quickly absorbs moisture. Because of this, felt carpets cannot:

• cover on the surfaces of rooms with high humidity;
• be cleaned with a steam generator;
• be wash;
• be moisturized during the day.

Such a carpet is difficult to dry and wet felt can have negative effects.

The question arises of how to care for a shyrdak if it is impossible to wet it. It turns out that there are no difficulties in this:

• just sweep a new shyrdak every 2 months;
• vacuum an older shyrdak twice a week;
• sweep the product with a broom or a brush as often as possible so that small debris do not get clogged into the pile of the carpet;
• small fresh stains can be quickly washed off with a small damp brush;
• beat the carpet every few months, not while it is hanging, but laying horizontally on a dense base; after beating, lightly shake and ventilate the rug;
• protect it against moths by frequently vacuuming both sides and airing it.

How does a shyrdak travel the world?

With the development of the Internet and international logistics, Kyrgyz craftsmen have the opportunity to send their creations abroad. Many shyrdak preparation masters live in the countryside where many of the keepers of traditional knowledge from whom they can learn reside. Thus, the production of shyrdak creates many jobs in the rural regions. Without leaving home, these artisans create unique felt carpets, which many admire and fall in love with at first sight.

The Kyrgyz Handmade team wants to help talented artisans from across the country enter the world market, sharing the rich Kyrgyz handicraft culture. Taking into account the traditional techniques and modern trends, a new studio was founded, where new designs and shyrdak patterns are developed. Many female artisans from the most remote regions of Kyrgyzstan are involved in manufacturing process, generating new jobs. Shyrdak is considered a wonderful and very rare carpet art, and our Kyrgyz craftswomen are proud to contribute to the preservation and distribution of this a unique product.

Source: K.I. Antipin "Features of the intangible culture and applied art of the southern Kyrgyz", open sources.

Photo: Central State Archive of Film and Photo Documents of the Kyrgyz Republic, Kyrgyz Handmade.