The National Museum of Kazakhstan is currently hosting the exhibition “Heritage in Stitches: A Journey through Uzbekistan’s Embroidery and Sewing Traditions”.
A highlight of the display is a Bukhara skullcap (kalapushi zarduzi) embroidered with gold thread. In the nineteenth century, craftsmen employed the zarduzi‑zaminduzi technique, while in the early twentieth century they favoured zarduzi‑gulduzi. Artisans also embellished the embroidery with small metal domes known as kubba. Each motif was stitched separately, giving the pattern a delicate relief and subtle tonal variations within a single colour. The raised ornamentation creates a play of light and shade, adding an extra decorative dimension.
“Heritage in Stitches: A Journey through Uzbekistan’s Embroidery and Sewing Traditions” remains on view at the National Museum of Kazakhstan until 1 June.