Ala kiyiz

The felt carpet-making technique is a traditional folk art among the nomadic farming Kazakh, Kyrgyz and Mongolian peoples of the Tien Shan mountains and the steppes in Central Asia for over two and a half thousand years.

In 2012, Kyrgyz felt carpets ala-kiyiz and shyrdak were inscribed into the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in need of urgent protection.

[3] The history of felt production in Eurasia can be traced to the end of Bronze Age when sheep, goat and horse herding were common activities of nomadic farmers of the region.

including felt carpets that utilized mosaic, applique and quilting techniques, demonstrating a rich aesthetic and high level of skill.

Ornaments consist of geometrical, botanical and zoomorphic motifs, visualising good wishes or blessing of the makers to a daughter who gets married, to children or grandchildren.

There is one master, Ormokchu, or the good hand at felt, who creates the message the ornaments of the ala kiyiz will tell, outlines the pattern and oversees the process.