Shyrdak Kyrgyz Carpets PDF

A shyrdak is a traditional Kyrgyz thick felt carpet that is made in beautiful decorative patterns by hand. It is often found in Kyrgyz homes on the floor. The name comes from the word shyryk, which means stitching -- one of the main processes in making this carpet, which makes it strong and durable....

A shyrdak is a traditional Kyrgyz thick felt carpet that is made in beautiful decorative patterns by hand. It is often found in Kyrgyz homes on the floor. The name comes from the word shyryk, which means stitching -- one of the main processes in making this carpet, which makes it strong and durable. The process is slow. It takes long time, about 5-6 months, to make one shyrdak. It takes the wool from approximately five sheep to make one shyrdak.The Kyrgyz began using the felt for making carpets long time ago.The shyrdak can be used for about 100 years or sometimes even longer. Every shyrdak is like a book that can be read. It can tell about the history of the people and the basics of its culture. The carpet is beautiful because of the contrasting colours and large patterns. Its pattern is made using the mosaic technique. Among the traditional patterns of a shyrdak are animals, the dog's tail, the horns of mountain goats and dear, the claws of birds, all of which have a certain meaning and value. We can also see dancing women, warriors, the sun and the moon, the eagle and the mountains. The development of the shyrdak was affected by different factors such as: conditions of life, climate, natural environment and social factors. Especially today, in a period of change, it is important to protect such as old and original handicraft. Because of this, our government nominated shyrdak carpets to be entered into the UNESCO social heritage list. The UNESCO accepted the shyrdak into the list od social heritage.