Folk crafts, a funnel and a grater

Kandakorlik is the art of making patterns, engraved or in relief, on artistic metal objects. In Uzbekistan the artistic decoration of metal objects has long developed; from the 11th century kandakorlik items began to be made of copper and its alloys. The master first draws the pattern, then cuts it into the metal or raises it in relief with special pens and small hammers. Jewellery making is the craft of making ornaments from precious non-ferrous metals such as gold and silver. Jewellery is very varied: rings, bracelets, neck amulets, earrings, little bells and so on. The sochpopuk is a women’s hair ornament: strands of twisted black silk with silver beads, bells or tubes attached to the ends. Its shape and name differ by region. In these crafts the pattern relies on rules of geometry and symmetry. Real kandakorlik and jewellery involve heating metal, soldering, acids and sharp tools, so only experienced masters do them. At school a safe exercise is done instead: a pattern is pressed into thin aluminium foil with a blunt stick.