Suzani "Palyak" ORIGIN Tashkent, Uzbekistan CIRCA 1900' MATERIALS natural silk on cotton SIZE 108x99 inches In the 19th century Palyak, large size decorative embroidery, was the most important element of any bride’s dowry. In fact it was so essential that in cases when it was not available in a dowry and there was nothing to replace it with, it usually was borrowed from friends or relatives. Bride entered the house of her future husband under the protective cover of palyak, because it was said to possess the powers of a good luck charm or protective talisman. Both newly-weds were covered with it throughout the wedding ritual while it performed the role of "gushanga"- mantle. It was then also used as a bedspread for their marital bed. In the later period of time palyaks became mostly wall-mounted household decorations. Translated literally as “heavenly dome”, palyak was decorated with ornaments that symbolized celestial bodies: full phase moon (called Moon in Uzbek), stars (yulduz), etc. The motives of this embroidery was supposed to keep the newly-weds safe from evil eyes and vile spirits during the most perilous period of their life, the so called chillya , the forty-days after child birth, circumcision, wedding and death. The typical size of Palyak was about 98in - 118 in, with minor deviations in some cases. Embroidery of one piece of this kind usually required more than 5 km of silk thread, due to the fact that the stitches were exclusively using couching technique with twisted yarn. The main colors used were black, yellow, dark Bordeaux, raspberry pink and sometimes limited presence of violet, the latter completely absent on older embroideries. Bordeaux served as the main background color. The most frequently present ornament on palyaks are the ornamented circles, the so called oy (standing for the full moon). In the old days those were often embroidered by red (the silk was dyed with ruyan natural dye that gave it rich shiny gloss, truly pleasing the eye). Those circles were usually set off by an ornamented ring crafted in two colors – blackish dark cherry and yellow or sky blue and yellow. The ring resembled a band composed of alternating zigzags of those colors embroidered with ornament. The number of oy (lunar medallions) on Tashkent embroideries varied according to old men’s recollections from forty on the oldest pieces to twenty on newer versions. In the collection of the national fine arts museum in Tashkent there were exhibits with sixteen and twelve oy, the latter composed as four circles in three rows. Some Tashkent residents still own palyaks with six or more often four large oy. Such palyaks with six moons and four moons were in wide circulation in the 1880-1890s. Wedding rituals of course were evolving from the beginning of time. In Uzbekistan as in any other country in the world these traditional ceremonies were very eloquent, filled with deep symbolism. Embroidery always played an important integral part in any wedding. It never was limited in its functions to being purely a background drop or a numb decoration. Instead it acted as an equally significant player in this complex staged event, performed its well-defined meaningful role. The bride was led into her future husband’s house while a large piece of embroidery, palyak, was carried over her ceremonially lowered head in order to protect her from evil spirits, to keep her safe from malefic or bad eye. She remained covered throughout the “cleansing” procedure sitting in front of a bonfire until the moment came for the groom to take her away as part of a steal-away ritual and lead her unto the sheltering curtains. After that the palyak was also hanged onto curtains, so it would serve as a safeguard for both newlyweds. This is the story of such interesting embroidery. Just look at this… Amaze with an impression of the time that stands still, it seems that the past in one moment has interflown in present. Its pattern preserves ancient legends and its stitching is filled with history. Free delivery by Fedex