A collection of ancient Kazakh jewelry was exhibited in Ashgabat
November 29, 2018 | 22:09 |411
The Museum of Fine Arts of Turkmenistan hosted an exhibition of the Mangystau Regional Museum of Local History. The Kazakh national women and men jewelry, somehow very similar to the Turkmen one, were of particular interest to the public. They have a lot in common: laconism of forms, symbolism in ornaments, use of silver and carnelian as basic materials, as well as not only decorative, but also sacral, protective function. On the walls of an improvised Kazakh yurta, several elegant silver sets were exhibited in a row – for girls, girls of marriageable ages, brides, daughters-in-law and an adult woman. Nearby hung a set of men jewelry, distinguished by practicality. If you missed this interesting exhibition, ORIENT will introduce you with exhibits and explain the meaning of each jewelry for Kazakh people. Kazakh girls from childhood are accustomed to jewelry. At the earliest age, Iki Ayak (ұкі аяқ) or Tumar (тұмар) - with a family coat of arms and numerous pendants – are worn on the child’s hand or foot. Being older, the girl begins to wear earrings (сырға) and Blezik bracelet (блезік), and Sholpa or Shashbau. This is sophisticated analogue of modern hairclip looked like coins attached to a lace pendent that clang to hair with silver threads. Among adornments that were to be worn by single girls Sholpa was the most popular and had two meanings. First, during the time of the abduction of brides, the sound of Sholpa informed others that the girl was near and everything was in order. Second, the adornment obliged ladies who braided it into their hair to have a gliding gait – the smoother the steps, the more tender the tinkle of hanging coins. In the future, the mother-in-law will appreciate this ability to move almost silently and would certainly praise her for accuracy. Also, the set of women’s jewelry includes large spherical buttons for festive clothes Torsyldak Tuyme, and buckles – Kapsyrma. However, children’s decorations are not compared with the decorations of girls of marriageable ages. The first thing that catches your eye is the variety of forms and the abundance of decor: bracelets, rings and earrings are decorated with large stones, jewelry wire, chasing, etc. Impressive and massive jewelry – a “bird’s beak” ring –convincingly pulls the hand down with its weight. Such massive drop-shaped ring has a sort of history connected. A ring in the form of a bird's beak is a symbol of happiness and the beginning of a new life. The bird’s beak served as a letter. A mother used to give this ring to a daughter when a young daughter was getting married. Only a year later, an elder brother or an uncle could visit a married daughter.Altyn ASHYROVA
Special attention must be paid to the breast jewels – “onirzhiyek” (rectangular form),”omyrausha” (in the form of the arc) and “tumarsha” (triangle shape), which, besides being decorative, served as talismans. For example, Onirzhiyek was an obligatory jewel of married women, especially in the period of breast-feeding. This jewel was saving woman’s breast from the evil eye. Nature and number of jewels corresponded to the age of a woman. So the girls were having simple-shape ear-rings and bracelets. Later the jewels of the girls, such as decorations of the plait ends, bracelets, pins (Tuyreush) and pendants (Alka), were changing, they were becoming more decorative.
A year before the wedding, the girl’s parents ordered a unique Saukele headdress for her, sometimes reaching a height of 70 cm. The value of the saukele was so high that 500 horses were given for it. The richer the family was, the richer the saukele was decorated. Saukele were the most expensive elements of the bride’s dowry. It made of red velvet with additions of silver and ribbons and with all kinds of precious stones threaded onto them. Most frequently those were corals aimed to protect from jinxes and pearls to favor prosperous life. It takes a master at least a year to make a wonder item sparkle. The top of Saukele was crowned with Uky, a fluffy bunch of feathers of an eagle owl. Saukele was given from mother to daughter, from generation to generation. According to custom, the bride was dressed in a wedding dress at her father’s house. Saukele was put on the bride by a respectable woman, for what she received an expensive present from bridegroom. After wedding, the wife wore Saukele for solemn occasions in the course of year, more exactly, until birth of first child.
After marriage, the decorations were getting simpler. A married Kazakh woman who has been married for more than a year, used to wear round or oval-shaped rings, breast jewels, and earrings. And, of course, the pair of bracelets that her husband gave her after the wedding as a sign that she became the keeper of the family hearth.
Another peak of Kazakh women jewelry art is Kudagi Juzik. Unity of two sources, of two families symbolized massive West-Kazakhstan rings with the ties on two fingers – rings of a matchmaker (Kudagi Juzik). The matchmaker was presenting such rings to the mother-in-law for protection and good attitude to the daughter-in-law. Such a gift was worn with pride.
Contrary to existing idea that art should serve only to glorify women’s beauty, the Kazakhs created adornments for men, too. The exhibits include belt, snuffbox, buttons and buckles. A sanitary set of toothpicks and ear sticks made of silver and decorated with a traditional pattern is of a special interest.
The national Kazakh jewelry exhibited at the Museum of Fine Arts, familiarized the people of Ashgabat and the guests of the capital with the whole history of the fraternal neighbor and helped to better understand their own. Precious historical artifacts and their modern replicas that used for decoration are very popular.
The Cultural Days of the Republic of Kazakhstan was closed with the concert of Kazakh artists in Watan Cinema and Concert Hall that gathered numerous admirers of music and fine dance.
