Turkmen handcrafts have a rich history and stable production traditions. They have always worn features of epochs and national colour, which were closely linked with their geography. The socio-economic relations of each historical epoch defined the level of development of trades and handcrafts, means of production, attached to the characteristic features, introduced new motifs into their evolution. The study of folk trades helps to familiarize closely with the life mode, production traditions, which are rather important for the study of material culture of any nation.
Turkmen handcrafts evoke a great interest from the ethnographical point of view. One of the favourite materials for artisans was of course wood. It served the main material for making vessels, household utensils, and labour tools. Articles made in the style of the best traditions of folk masters differed with durability, artistic touch and plainness. Almost in every Turkmen village masters, who could make necessary things, lived.
A wooden utensil was very popular and masters in large number produced it. Wooden articles did not suffer aesthetic excess. Therefore, one can just speak of aesthetics, as a concrete category with the point of view of is practical designation noting such moments as absence of excessive decoration, plainness, and convenience for application.
People often used the wood of apricot, walnut, plane and willow. One of the most important wood materials was the wood of mulberry, which was very hard, durable, plastic, and convenient for application and processing. Beginning work upon a new article Turkmen master took into consideration the diverse peculiarities of the wood capable of facilitating reaction of fermentation and giving a special aroma to the wooden vessel.
Today participating in national Turkmen holidays one can make a journey to the epoch of the past. Cooks continuing national traditions our aromatic soups into cups with a large wooden ladle and put simmering pilaf into large wooden dishes and serves milk products in wooden bowls. One, who has at least once tasted food in these vessels, knows that nothing can replace their place. Many modern homemakers use wooden utensils for decoration of holiday tables, which wonderfully enliven service, and attach to it an original national style.
The original handcraft articles are functional and to date they bear souvenir character. Their value remains unchanged and indeed, they display the spirit of times and bear the culture of life mode. Articles made by folk masters noted for their great aesthetic taste, continue to be pure source of creation from which Turkmen professional art takes its origination.
Turkmen handcrafts evoke a great interest from the ethnographical point of view. One of the favourite materials for artisans was of course wood. It served the main material for making vessels, household utensils, and labour tools. Articles made in the style of the best traditions of folk masters differed with durability, artistic touch and plainness. Almost in every Turkmen village masters, who could make necessary things, lived.
A wooden utensil was very popular and masters in large number produced it. Wooden articles did not suffer aesthetic excess. Therefore, one can just speak of aesthetics, as a concrete category with the point of view of is practical designation noting such moments as absence of excessive decoration, plainness, and convenience for application.
People often used the wood of apricot, walnut, plane and willow. One of the most important wood materials was the wood of mulberry, which was very hard, durable, plastic, and convenient for application and processing. Beginning work upon a new article Turkmen master took into consideration the diverse peculiarities of the wood capable of facilitating reaction of fermentation and giving a special aroma to the wooden vessel.
Today participating in national Turkmen holidays one can make a journey to the epoch of the past. Cooks continuing national traditions our aromatic soups into cups with a large wooden ladle and put simmering pilaf into large wooden dishes and serves milk products in wooden bowls. One, who has at least once tasted food in these vessels, knows that nothing can replace their place. Many modern homemakers use wooden utensils for decoration of holiday tables, which wonderfully enliven service, and attach to it an original national style.
The original handcraft articles are functional and to date they bear souvenir character. Their value remains unchanged and indeed, they display the spirit of times and bear the culture of life mode. Articles made by folk masters noted for their great aesthetic taste, continue to be pure source of creation from which Turkmen professional art takes its origination.
