International Journal Of History And Political Sciences
23
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijhps
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue04 2025
PAGE NO.
23-26
10.37547/ijhps/Volume05Issue04-05
The First Private Handicraft Workshop
Murodov Halim Salimovich
Associate Professor, "Social Sciences" Department, Bukhara State Pedagogical Institute, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Historical
Sciences, Bukhara, Uzbekistan
Received:
12 February 2025;
Accepted:
09 March 2025;
Published:
08 April 2025
Abstract:
Due to the policies enacted on the eve of independence, the tourism sector and its associated industries
fell into dire straits. In response, Uzbekistan, along with Bukhara, a major tourist hub, undertook numerous efforts
to navigate this challenging situation. Specifically, the dedication of national master artisans in reviving millennia-
old traditions and presenting them globally is illustrated with concrete examples. The nuances of these master
artisans' work, the creation of handcrafted goods, and their purchase by tourists are discussed, emphasizing their
crucial role in contributing to the economy and the overall prosperity of the nation.
Keywords:
Pakistan, Islamabad, Baxshillo Jumayev, Naranyan, "Hunarmand" (Craftsman Association), “Sovg'a”
(Gift), Bukhara, "Bukhara Silk Paper", "Umrboqiy meros" (Immortal Heritage), kashtado'z (embroiderer), zardo'z
(gold embroiderer).
Introduction:
Gaining independence placed the
reorganization of every sector on the agenda as a
pressing issue. This was because most of the
connections from the colonial period had either ceased
or no longer aligned with the new conditions of
independence and national interests. The tourism
sector, in particular, had been managed primarily from
the center of the former Soviet state, serving the
ideology of that era rather than the economy. As a
result, the geography of tourist-originating countries
was limited, and the sector lagged behind global
tourism development. The activities of tourism and its
related industries also fell into a difficult situation. In
this regard, Uzbekistan and Bukhara, one of its main
tourist centers, saw master craftsmen, through their
dedication, mobilize all their knowledge and efforts to
revive millennia-old traditions and showcase them to
the world. Gaining independence placed the
reorganization of every sector on the agenda as a
pressing issue. This was because most of the
connections from the colonial period had either ceased
or no longer aligned with the new conditions of
independence and national interests. The tourism
sector, in particular, had been managed primarily from
the center of the former Soviet state, serving the
ideology of that era rather than the economy. As a
result, the geography of tourist-originating countries
was limited, and the sector lagged behind global
tourism development. The activities of tourism and its
related industries also fell into a difficult situation. In
this regard, Uzbekistan and Bukhara, one of its main
tourist centers, saw master craftsmen, through their
dedication, mobilize all their knowledge and efforts to
revive millennia-old traditions and showcase them to
the world.
In Uzbekistan, Bukharan craftsmanship holds a special
place alongside tourism companies in establishing the
national tourism network. In particular, advanced and
ancient forms of traditional crafts such as gold
embroidery ("zardo'zlik"), jewelry ("zargarlik"), copper
work ("misgarlik"), confectionery ("qandakorlik"),
pottery ("kulolchilik"), national dressmaking, skullcap
making
("do'ppichilik"),
and
embroidery
("kashtachilik") began to revive. The activities of skilled
craftsmen such as Jumayev Baxshillo, Alisher
Narzullayev, Shokir Kamolov, Mahfuza Salimova, Usto
Samad, Atamuradov Safo, and Toshev Davron proved
highly effective in this regard.
After independence, in the early 1990s, many types of
crafts fell into a difficult situation because raw
materials for these industries (velvet, gold threads,
cardboard) were brought from various regions of the
former Soviet Union. Bukharan artisans used their
International Journal Of History And Political Sciences
24
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijhps
International Journal Of History And Political Sciences (ISSN
–
2771-2222)
resources to solve the problems and quickly
established their own shops and workshops. The first
private handicraft workshop in Bukhara was
established by the gold embroidery master Jumayev
Baxshillo.
Previously, participation in overseas exhibitions was
very limited. Efforts began to establish international
relations. In 1994, the first international festival with
the participation of artisans from 70 countries was held
in Islamabad, Pakistan, where Bukharan master
Jumayev Baxshillo took first place and established
lasting partnerships.
In Uzbekistan, Bukharan artisans were the first to
establish the "Immortal Heritage" ("Umrboqiy meros")
Craftsmen's Association (including its charter) in 1995.
Robert Almeev, the director of the Bukhara Museums
Association and a constant supporter of artisans, was
elected president of the association, and Baxshillo
Jumayev and Alisher Narzullayev were elected vice
presidents[1,
B.1-3].
The
development
of
craftsmanship in Bukhara and its success in
international festivals caught the attention of the
international UNESCO organization. As a result, in 1996,
Dr. Naranyan was sent to Bukhara to study the
experience of Bukharan craftsmanship and provide
conclusions and recommendations, and collaborative
research was conducted for a year. Dr. Naranyan
presented
a
one-year
research
report
and
recommendations to UNESCO and the Government of
Uzbekistan. This research and the experience of the
"Immortal Heritage" association spurred the creation
of the "Hunarmand" ("Craftsman") Association of the
Republic of Uzbekistan in 1997.
The importance of craftsmanship in providing
employment to the population increased significantly.
According to Baxshillo Jumayev, who served as the
chairman of the Bukhara regional branch of the
"Hunarmand" Association of the Republic in 1997-
1998, 700 artisans were active as members of the
association during this period. With the increase in the
number of Bukharan artisans and the restoration and
expansion of ancient crafts, craft masters occupied the
cultural heritage sites, cells ("hujralar"), and places
previously occupied by non-characteristic commercial
goods stores, liquor stores, and pharmacies in the
historical center of the city. By establishing their
workshops and shops, this area not only became
prosperous but also a safe area for tourists to stroll at
night.
The production of souvenirs and miniature art samples
further expanded, which contributed to an increase in
the quality and variety of products for tourists. In this
regard, master gold embroiderer Baxshillo Jumayev
was the first in Bukhara to establish his own private
gold embroidery workshop in 1990. Baxshillo Jumayev
is a sixth-generation representative of a famous
dynasty of gold embroiderers. His grandfather, Rajab
Oqsoqol Abdurahmonzoda, was the head ("oqsoqol")
of Bukharan gold embroidery masters during the
Bukhara Emirate from 1900-1920.
To develop the art of gold embroidery and offer a wider
range of products to tourists, master Baxshillo Jumayev
established the "Sovg'a" ("Gift") Gold Embroidery
Center in Bukhara in 1995. As a result, Baxshillo
Jumayev's gold embroidery and padded embroidery
items and clothing spread throughout the world
through tourists, contributing to the increased
popularity of the Bukhara brand. In 2013, Baxshillo
Jumayev established the "Sovg'a Ustozod
a Zardo’zon"
family enterprise. To this day, the master leads this
enterprise, making a significant contribution to the
development of Bukharan crafts and tourism. Master
Baxshillo Jumayev has trained more than 500
apprentices in gold embroidery, who came to learn
from all regions of Uzbekistan, as well as countries such
as Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, and Tajikistan[2,B.4].
Based on the Decree of the President of the Republic of
Uzbekistan No. PF-1741 of March 31, 1997, "On
Measures for State Support for the Further
Development of Folk Art Crafts and Applied Arts" and
the Decree of the President of the Republic of
Uzbekistan No. PF-3588 of March 28, 2005, "On
Measures for the Further Development of Folk Art
Crafts and Applied Arts," the Bukhara Silk Carpet
Weaving Center was established thanks to the
prospects and opportunities opened up for folk
artisans. The Bukhara Silk Carpet Weaving Combine,
established in the years of independence, specifically
from 1997 to 1999, was transformed into a large
production and sales center in 2011 with the support of
the regional administration. It is located in the very
center of Bukhara city (at the beginning of Khuja
Nurobod Street), next to the Mir Arab Madrasah.
Looking at the history of carpet weaving in Bukhara, it
is known that the art of carpet weaving was very
developed in Central Asia, including Uzbekistan, in the
10th-12th centuries. In the second half of the 18th and
19th centuries, carpet weaving in the Bukhara Khanate
acquired its own unique style. Carpet production here
began to stand out for its decorations, high-quality
weaving, and dyeing techniques. The Bukhara Silk
Carpet Weaving Complex was established as a
continuation of these schools. This center, based on
global standards and high demands, was formed on the
principles of preserving national identity. At the
Bukhara Silk Carpet Weaving Center, 40 girls were
engaged in carpet weaving, and 10 girls were
International Journal Of History And Political Sciences
25
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijhps
International Journal Of History And Political Sciences (ISSN
–
2771-2222)
simultaneously engaged in weaving adras (a type of ikat
silk fabric) [3,B.245]. Conditions have been created for
students and apprentices who have reached maturity
based on the traditions of master-to-apprentice skill
training to start their own individual entrepreneurial
activities. By 2015-2016, taking into account the
branches established throughout the tourist center, a
total of 258 people were employed together.
The artisan artists of the Bukhara Silk Carpet Weaving
Center weave 100-150 silk carpets annually. Primarily,
more than 10 different patterned carpets such as
"Anorgul," "Chorbog," "Kashkoi," "Salogul," and others
are woven by the artisans and their apprentices. The
center has a carpet weaving and adras weaving
workshop, a carpet dyeing department, and a bar that
prepares refreshing drinks for foreign tourists, serving
27 people at a time. Also, an ATM of the Bukhara
branch of "Kapitalbank" is installed in the center's
building, providing currency exchange services to
tourists 24 hours a day. More than 100,000 tourists visit
the Bukhara Silk Carpet Weaving Center every year. The
Bukhara Silk Carpet Weaving Center is expanding its
activities year by year, making a significant contribution
to increasing the inflow of foreign currency into the
region's economy. It provides export services worth
between 200,000 and 450,000 US dollars annually.
A distinctive feature of the center compared to other
centers is that they provide excellent and prompt
service to guests here, treating visiting tourists with the
rejuvenating, thirst-quenching, and fatigue-relieving
miraculous "Avitsenna" tea. Tourists who come here
cannot leave without purchasing examples of
Bukhara's miraculous art [4, p. 253]. In addition, to
develop the art of Bukhara miniature painting, the
"Bukhara Silk Paper" handicraft center was built and
put into operation in May 2019 by master artisan
Toshev Davron. At the same time, on the initiative of
artist Toshev Davlat, the "Master-Apprentice"
Miniature Center was established on the basis of an
ancient monument built in the 16th century, located on
"Arabon" Street in the city of Bukhara [5, p. 4].
It is noteworthy that in a survey conducted with
tourists, 45% expressed interest in seeing and directly
participating in the folk music and dances, national
costumes, and customs of the art. In particular, the
folk-zullisonayn singing consisting of "Bukhorcha" and
"Mavrigi" songs and dances, which have become a key
part of Bukhara's cultural life, plays a unique role in
enriching the leisure time of tourists, guests, and
pilgrims. By establishing special "Bukhorcha" and
"Mavrigi" song and dance stages in front of historical
centers, and showcasing the repertoire of national
singing folk groups, unforgettable moments and high
cultural relaxation are provided to tourists, attracting
more tourists and serving to increase the attractiveness
of Old Bukhara as a tourist destination [6, p. 334]. In
Bukhara, the total number of artisans in 2017 was 1050,
and thanks to reforms and incentives, their number
increased to 12,179 in 2020 [7, p. 5]. This, in addition to
being a major factor in creating new jobs in the region,
served to increase the number and quality of souvenirs,
folk art items, and souvenirs for tourists. The main thing
was the influx of foreign currency into the region's
economy, that is, the increase in income from the
export of services.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, folk art fields, including visual and
applied decorative arts, architecture and theater,
music, and national singing folklore art, play a highly
significant role in the development of Bukhara tourism.
Especially in the current post-pandemic tourism
recovery process, they demonstrate great potential for
promoting sustainable tourism development in the
region and increasing the region's tourism reputation.
Taking this into account, it is appropriate to take
measures to further increase the tourism potential of
the region and increase the number of tourists through
good deeds such as preserving and developing the
traditions of national architecture and the famous gold
embroidery, jewelry, copper work, confectionery, and
ornamental applied arts that have long been developed
in Old Bukhara and are unique to this region that has
captured the entire East, promoting, restoring, and
preserving their unique examples.
REFERENCES
Recorded from an interview with Jumayev Baxshillo
Shirinovich, head of the "Sovg'a Ustozoda Zardo`zon"
family enterprise. April 17, 2022.
Recorded from an interview with Jumayev Baxshillo
Shirinovich, head of the "Sovg'a Ustozoda Zardo`zon"
family enterprise. April 17, 2022.
Bukhara Regional State Archive, M-1503 fund, 1st
inventory, case 40, pages 245-256.
BRSA, M-1503 fund, 1st inventory, case 40, pages 253-
260.
Current archive of the Bukhara Regional Tourism
Development Department // Information on the work
carried out to develop tourism in the Bukhara region.
December 01, 2019.
Murodov H.S. The role of the cultural sphere in the
development of tourism in Bukhara. // Current issues
of museology in the modern world. Collection of the
International Scientific and Practical Conference -
Tashkent, 2021. -
№1 –
P. 334-342.
Current archive, Bukhara Regional Department of
Tourism and Sports. Reference information on tourism
International Journal Of History And Political Sciences
26
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijhps
International Journal Of History And Political Sciences (ISSN
–
2771-2222)
sector indicators in the Bukhara region. As of April 01,
2022. 2022.
