National Crafts in Kazakhstan

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National Crafts in Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan, like many other countries, boasts unique folk crafts that originated in ancient times and have evolved over millennia. Discoveries from the Bronze Age indicate that craftsmanship was already well-developed several thousand years before our era. Excavations across Kazakhstan have uncovered a vast array of artisanal items, including bronze, gold, silver, and copper jewelry, weapons, household items, pottery decorated with intricate patterns, and carved bone and horn pieces. These finds, along with later archaeological research, tell the fascinating story of the development of Kazakh folk crafts.

Kazakh Folk Crafts

Kazakh folk crafts were shaped by the nomadic culture of the Kazakh tribes. The harsh life of nomads required them to create everything they needed for survival from the materials readily available to them.

Since livestock breeding and hunting were the primary occupations of nomads, the main materials for their crafts came from animals: leather, wool, down, bones, and horns from cattle and smaller livestock. This led to the development of crafts such as felting and the production of felt, leather processing, and the creation of leather and felt clothing, as well as the crafting of carpets and felt mats (koshas). Bones and animal horns were used to make jewelry and various household items, with the art of bone carving reaching significant heights. Craftsmen created intricate figurines from bones and horns and used them to carve thin plates adorned with patterns, which were later inlaid into furniture.

Leather from livestock and animal fur was utilized to make a wide range of household items, from winter clothing and armor to horse harnesses and even water containers. Naturally, leather was also used to make footwear, as nomads wore boots year-round. Leather goods were often decorated with embossing—a highly valued art form not only among Kazakhs but also among neighboring peoples.

One of the most important and ancient Kazakh crafts is the production and craftsmanship of felt. Thick felt (koshas) was used to cover yurts, while thinner felt served as the material for clothing such as robes, coats, and hats. Felt was also the foundation for carpets known as “tekemet,” laid on the yurt floors, and for decorative wall hangings called “tuskiiz,” which featured intricate designs and patterns to adorn the inner walls of yurts. Alongside felting, wool weaving and the crafting of small fabric rugs (korpe) were highly developed.

Equally significant in the life of nomads was woodworking. Wood was used to craft tableware, weapons, furniture, saddle parts, tool handles, and various cabinets and chests, often decorated with ornamental wood carving. A special place in woodcraft was reserved for the creation of yurts, specifically the components of the yurt’s frame: the dome’s crown (shanyrak), the supporting poles (uyk), and the foldable lattice walls (kerege).

A closer look at yurt-making reveals how essential this craft was to the nomadic way of life. Nomads needed a home that was light and easy to dismantle yet warm enough to endure harsh winters filled with blizzards and snowstorms. This need gave birth to the yurt, a portable dwelling made of a wooden frame covered with thick felt. While most nomads could make yurts themselves, the wooden frames were often crafted by skilled artisans.

Another traditional Kazakh craft connected to wood was the making of musical instruments. Instruments like the dombra, kobyz, and the flute (sybyzgy) played an essential role in the lives of ancient nomads, offering relief from their hard daily lives and serving as key elements of celebrations. Today, these instruments are part of national orchestras of folk instruments.

Though metal was a less common material for Kazakh artisans, metallurgy was practiced as early as the Bronze Age. The people of Kazakhstan have long known how to smelt metal and make tools, weapons, and cookware. Kazakhstan’s soil is rich in various ores, including precious metals like gold and silver. Many ancient mining sites, where iron, silver, and copper were extracted and smelted, remain scattered across the region. Some items were also made from native copper.

Blacksmithing, however, held great significance for the nomads. They constantly needed horseshoes, stirrups, harness parts, knives, weapons, and other tools. But blacksmithing demanded a certain degree of settled life, so blacksmiths typically worked in towns and villages, with nomads buying finished metal products from them. Blacksmithing and jewelry making flourished in cities such as Sygnak, Otrar, Taraz, and Turkestan.

Kazakh jewelers were skilled in various techniques, including forging, embossing, and stamping. Silver was the primary material for creating rings, bracelets, earrings, pendants, and clothing accessories like buckles and buttons. Silver was also inlaid into weapons, furniture, and household items.

In these cities, pottery also thrived. Potters produced tableware, ceramic tiles, decorations, and even musical instruments like the saz-surnay and flutes from clay. Pottery was widespread, with items often decorated with national patterns, and the pottery stalls at bazaars and fairs were some of the most popular.

Modern Crafts

Today, Kazakh folk crafts are rarely used for their original practical purposes. Instead, they are often produced as high-quality, one-of-a-kind souvenirs. These items can be purchased almost anywhere, with most major shopping centers offering sections dedicated to handmade crafts. Additionally, festivals and specialized craft fairs are frequently held, where visitors can try their hand at Kazakh craftsmanship.

Where to View Kazakh Craftsmanship

  • Republican Museum of Folk Musical Instruments named after Ykylas in Almaty. This museum houses over 400 exhibits, representing more than 40 types of Kazakh folk musical instruments. The museum itself is located in a historic building, the former Officers’ Assembly House, built in 1908.
  • Ethnographic Hall at the Central State Museum of Kazakhstan, Almaty. This hall features a wide array of folk craftsmanship, both historical and contemporary.
  • Hall of Folk Crafts at the Almaty Museum of History—a permanent exhibition showcasing local artisans’ work.
  • A. Kasteyev Museum of Arts in Almaty, where a permanent exhibition on applied arts is displayed.
  • Qazaq-Oner Center, with two branches in Almaty. This is an educational, cultural, and entertainment center where visitors can purchase folk crafts and even try making them themselves.

Kazakh crafts can also be found in most souvenir shops. One popular spot is the pedestrian section of Zhibek Zholy Avenue in Almaty, also known as the Almaty Arbat—a favorite gathering place for artists, performers, and artisans.

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