Kazakh ornaments
- Maria Jagodzińska
- 9 sty 2022
- 2 minut(y) czytania
Zaktualizowano: 12 sie 2023
The whole world is talking about the chaos in Kazachstan. Beside being up-to-date with what`s going on in this country, I took my chance to get to know more about its culture. Today I present You a short guide to Kazakh traditional ornaments.
Inside the yurt, source: https://www.advantour.com/kazakhstan/culture/yurt.htm
History
Kazakhs tended to put ornaments everywhere - above the entrances to their homes (yurts), on clothes, jewellery, gifts etc. They had a secret meaning - for example, if just married daughter sent to their parents a gift with bird wing on it, it has meant that with her husband she is free like a bird.
The ornaments were a protection against dark powers and tribute to sun, sky, stars etc. They were symbols of luck, intelligence, tight family bonds. These pictograms helped others gain some information about their owner - who is he, what is the most important for him, how his life is going.
Men`s clothes, source: https://weproject.media/en/articles/detail/kazakh-traditional-clothing-of-men-and-women/
The art of ornament was a subject of study of many reasearchers and is still alive. People in Kazakhstan practice this uneasy art in order to preserve national heritage. In the Internet, you can easily find some modern jewellery, porcelain and clothes with them as a main theme.
Classification
Kazakh ornaments are divided into four groups: zoomorpheme, plants, cosmological and geometric. Each group has a plenty of ornaments used for specified purpose.
Zoomorpheme group contains mostly of bird, camel and sheep likenesses. The most recognizable ones are: кусмурын (bird beak), кусканат (bird wing), қошқар мүйіз (sheep horns). They mean respectively: protection from dark powers, freedom and prosperity. Popular were also goose or camel necks.
Bird wing, source: http://ksanabead.blogspot.com/2012/11/blog-post_25.html
Sheep horn, source: https://engime.org/sabati-tairibi-ltti-oyu-ornekteri-osharmjiz.html
Plants group is the most obvious one, as symbols are quite similar to plants in reality. They mean unity, development and connection between people. They`re mostly used on clothes and domestic stuff. Example:
Leaf (жапырак), source: https://www.dostartrips.com/journal/culture/kazakh-ornaments/
Cosmological ornaments are some kind of tribute to sun, in which Kazakhs believed before they took islam as a religion. You can also meet moon, stars and four sides of the world. They are the oldest group of ornaments.
Geometric ornaments - the term is easy to understand. Here are classified all of the ornaments which are based on figures or have visible symmetry. They are common in architecture, carpets and sculptures.
Summary
Unfortunately, from 200 patterns, only 50 are still in use. Kazakh people nowadays tend to come back to their roots and ornaments become more and more popular. With a potential to become an international fashion trend, these little masterpieces could be saved from oblivion. Who knows, maybe some day we`ll all wear clothes with latest trend - Kazakh traditional patterns?
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