Shyrdak – felt carpets made of Kyrgyz wool. The Kyrgyz began to use felt for the manufacture of carpets and other household items in ancient times. Various factors influenced the development and improvement of Kyrgyz carpet art: living conditions, climate, natural conditions, social factors. One of the most unusual types of Kyrgyz carpet art is shyrdak. Modern needlewomen have been honing their skills for years and are proud to make shyrdak with their own hands, using only natural materials. Each pattern of the shyrdak conceals a meaning associated with the history and life of the people, and vividly and vividly reflects its unity with nature.
The most popular felt carpet in Kyrgyzstan today is “Shyrdak”. Made in the most complex mosaic technique, shyldak has one of the most important qualities – durability. The average service life of a shyrdak is about 100 years, and sometimes more.
The production of one shyrdak is a laborious process, and it takes from two to six months for one master to produce one carpet.
For Kyrgyz women, the Shyrdak carpet is one of the most valuable household items, so the girl’s dowry necessarily includes the Shyrdak carpet.
The upper layer is made of thin felt, on which colored patterns are applied, and the lower layer is made of thick felt of brown or black color. Multicolored felt is joined and sewn. Decorations are applied with chalk and cut out with a sharp knife. Surprisingly, the background and the area of the drawing are almost identical. This gives the carpets a unique style.
Of the elements of the carpet-making technique is quilting shyrdak (from which the term “shyrdak” comes), which makes carpets more durable. The stitch repeats the pattern pattern, thus creating a pattern inside the felt. The size of the shyrdak is approximately 1.5 m by 3 m, which makes it very convenient to move.
The traditional shyrdak pattern is decorated with inscriptions in the form of animals, deer horns and mysterious messages to the owner of the carpet. Today, shyrdak carpets are produced in the Naryn and Issyk-Kul regions. They are given to girls as a wedding dowry.
Today, shyrdak is one of the most unusual types of carpet art in Kyrgyzstan. To preserve this centuries-old tradition, the Government of Kyrgyzstan has included felt carpets “Shyrdak” in the UNESCO Cultural Heritage List.
The III International Festival “Kyrgyz Shyrdak” was held in Naryn. The festival was held in a new ethnic complex “Like a nomad”. More than 100 outstanding craftsmen, artisans and jewelers from all over the country gathered to present their works.
Within the framework of the festival, an exhibition-fair was held where you could buy the best silk and felt products, a fashion show where designers presented their works in the national style, concerts of local performers and national sports matches. Guests of the festival were able to attend workshops on folk crafts.
A group of local craftsmen presented a round shyrdak with an area of 60 sq. m, which is very convenient for use in yurts. Guests from Kazakhstan purchased unique felt products.
The company “Nomads Life” organizes excursions along the ancient Kyrgyz traditions.
