LOCAL HANDICRAFTS

These are available in plenty: the most common are:

• the Kyrgyz style felt hats (cholpaks) — which are still worn by many men particularly in rural areas: prices $5 to $20.
• or the felt carpets (shyrdaks and ala kiyiz), The brightly coloured shyrdaks are popular purchases but larger items are usually rather heavy because of the thick felt from which they are made. But smaller types are available.
• or our favorite — the beautifully and intricately sewn Tush Kiyiz — which were originally used in yurts in place of headboards and which are a kind of sewn montage on a cloth background with beautiful stylised designs, no two of which are alike. These were traditionally sewn by grandmothers on the occasion of a wedding in the family as a gift for the married couple (to be hung above the marriage bed for good luck), and are seen particularly in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Mongolia. Now becoming rare as the culture is changing and grannies have other things to do, these fascinating wall hangings, which are often aged from 20—50 years, are fast becoming collectors?§ prized items. Prices depend on age and condition. We know of one, which went recently for $1000, though that is very rare. Beware of new ones which may simply be machine sewn. Look at the backs and see if you can see the many discontinuities in the threads, which you get with hand-sewn products. Incidentally, wall hangings are free from US import taxes if you are a US citizen taking them home.
• Many other more finely woven carpets can be bought locally, from such places as Tadjikistan or Turkmenistan. Kyrgyz pile carpets are quite rare ? V they are mainly made in the South.
• Lots of different types of jewellery or ornaments in Felt, leather, gold, silver or wood are also available, including (modern) ornate knives.
• If you are interested in fabrics generally, you will find a large market in Bishkek, with fabrics from all over the world but especially from Asia.
  
  
  

  Please Note : if you want to export a carpet or tush-kiyiz or anything else which looks like it could be an antique, you must get a certificate of export from the Ministry of Culture or — on the relatively few occasions when they look at your baggage — you may have the object confiscated at the airport when you leave (and it is no use trying to leave through Kazakhstan because they are even keener on taking such items — or a large fine — off you and they don?§ t accept the defence that you bought it in Kyrgyzstan). We can advise you how to get such a certificate — which costs very little — but you need to make sure you leave enough time to do so. It may sometimes take a few days.