Nurata Suzani ( Uzbekistan ,6'7"x4'9", PRICE REDUCED)

(Needle Works Of Central Asia)

Suzani comes from the Persian word for “needle” and refers to the embroidered fabrics, which can be used as hanging objects or as a covering. Central Asia has always been known as the Birth Place of these kind of textiles and among the most important places one can mention Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, which both have a tradition of producing very fine Suzani.

 These kinds of embroideries are from places along the ancient silk routes where there is a long tradition of embroidery and floral decoration. These kinds of Suzani are embroidered by the women of the tribe, mainly young girls before they marry, and then they take them to their own homes as part of their dowry. The girl's talent is normally judged by the fineness of the workmanship of these Suzani. Some of the embroideries are used during the marriage ceremony, but nearly all of them have a functional use. To decorate a plain surface of fabric with embroidery satisfies the creative instinct, and nowhere is this more evident than in Central Asia where the skill of embroidery is intrinsic to the culture, and the exuberant motifs and colours are as diverse as the ethnic origins of the needlewomen. A woman be from Tadjik, Uzbek, Sart, Turkmen, Kirgiz, Kazak, Lakai, Hazarahor or Arab background, whether she lives in a house or a tent, enjoys prestige according to the skill and profusion of her embroideries. A Nomad, or a village girl, embroiders from her childhood, learning her skills from her mother and the other women of the family. After her betrothal traditionally she spends much of her time preparing the dowry textiles for her new home and for the wedding ceremony. In a society where a woman is valued chiefly as a wife and housekeeper, embroidering brings not only recognition for her skill and industry, but also the pleasure of personal expression and individual creativity. This type of way of life in these areas is vanishing.