National Costumes of Baysun: Similarities and Differences
The peoples inhabiting Baysun have remained faithful to their traditions for centuries, passing them down from generation to generation. Tajiks have been engaged in agriculture, crafts, and domestic industries since ancient times, skillfully creating textiles, ceramics, and jewelry. Uzbek tribes, accustomed to a semi-nomadic way of life, also gradually mastered agriculture, but livestock farming continued to play a key role in their economy and way of life.
Despite such differences, these peoples coexisted side by side for centuries and maintained close economic ties, exchanging not only goods but also cultural traditions. Their interaction fostered mutual influence, with each community preserving its distinct identity, reflected both in daily life and in national dress.
Although in the 19th and early 20th centuries the Baisun Bekdom was part of the Emirate of Bukhara, its inhabitants managed to preserve unique ethnic features in their appearance. Traditional costumes, adorned with embroidery and patterns, carried within them the history of the region, reflecting its rich cultural heritage and the depth of age-old traditions.
In the traditional attire of Baysun women, two main types can be distinguished: the clothing of the Tajik sedentary population and the Uzbeks of Dasht-i Kipchak origin (such as Kungrats, Yuz, and others).
The traditional clothing of women from all ethnic groups living in Baysun had a similar cut, but differed in details—the width and length of elements, methods of decoration, quality of materials, and manner of wearing. Each ethnic group contributed its own unique touches to the attire, creating a harmonious blend of the common and the distinctive.
In everyday life, the women of Baysun more often wore dresses made from locally produced cotton and semi-silk fabrics. Striped alacha, janda, and other fabrics woven by local artisans are not just materials, but part of the cultural heritage. As researcher S. Makhkamova notes, various types of alacha existed in Baysun – "norpusti," "momoshoiy," "kirmizi," "mozori," and "amiri" (1). In the village of Dashnabad, a special fabric called "tenglik" was woven, distinguished by its unique ornament and texture. But besides fabrics created by the skilled hands of local craftswomen, goods from Bukhara, Karshi, and other cities were highly valued in Baysun. As researcher O. Sukhareva emphasizes in her works, "Karshi fabrics, in their best grades produced for the fairly numerous representatives of the feudal and official class, were exported to Baysun, Hissar, Guzar, Sariasiya, and were also purchased by the inhabitants of the surrounding steppe, who were engaged in cattle breeding, when they came to the market" (2, p. 124).
Particular importance was given to the color of clothing. Young girls chose bright, cheerful shades – rich red tones that emphasized youth and energy. Older women preferred more restrained and deep tones, symbolizing wisdom and life experience.
The dresses of Tajik women from the Baysun district, in their color and decorative design, resemble the traditional attire of the indigenous women of Tajikistan. However, the local embroidery is distinguished by greater simplicity and conciseness. Floral motifs predominate in the ornaments: among the patterns are tulips, flowering shrubs, stylized palmettes, as well as abstract rosettes resembling flowers but without a clear reference to specific plants. This unique manner of decoration gave Baysun dresses a distinctive character, combining traditional forms with local artistic interpretation. (3, p.79) Today, Baysun women typically wear such festive dresses only during ceremonial rituals and on holidays, thereby honoring the traditions of their ancestors. Unlike Tajik women, Kungrat women did not particularly decorate their dresses with embroidery.
Typically, the only decorative element was the vertically slit neckline embroidered with braid, whose pattern included geometric and zoomorphic motifs characteristic of nomadic peoples. Another decorative option was the sewn-on front "sitora" (meaning "star") – a wide black woven or braided band adorned with silver plates with embossed ornamentation. Ethnographic research shows that such elements were found not only in Baysun but also in some areas of Tajikistan, the western Pamirs, as well as among southeastern groups of Turkmen and some Kazakh tribes, demonstrating the deep cultural interaction in this region. (4, p. 50) This information reveals not only the ethnic and cultural connections of the Baysun people with neighboring peoples but also emphasizes the uniqueness of the region's traditional female costume.
How headwear is worn in Boysun
We should also talk separately about the headdress, which is called "bosh" (meaning "head"). For example, the turban-like "bosh" – the traditional headdress of Kungrad women – differed from similar accessories in other parts of Uzbekistan due to its complex construction, consisting of several elements.
In general, in Surkhandarya, there existed many varieties of headwear, differing according to age, social status, and tribal affiliation. In Baysun, however, the most common form of the "bosha" was a tall cylinder, widening at the top like a crown, which gave the woman's appearance a special majesty.
The foundation of this headdress is the round skullcap "kiygich", the front part of which was decorated with a braid embroidered with multicolored silk or cotton threads using the "iroki" technique. Previously, this braid could feature a pattern of the tamga (brand), which indicated the woman's clan affiliation. The second part of the "bosha" was a rigid base, over which a red fabric, three to five meters long, was wound. Then, colored scarves were added, folded into narrow strips and wrapped in several layers resembling steps. In the past, the number of such scarves could reach 25-30, symbolizing the woman's wealth and status.
The final element of this magnificent headdress was a large scarf and a "zhelak" cloak, draped over the entire structure. Such an adornment was a privilege of married women, and today it can be seen very rarely only on some elderly representatives of the Baysun community. Over time, many functions of this headdress have been lost, but it still remains a living testament to the unique cultural heritage of the region.
The headdress of Tajik women in the Baysun district was characterized by greater simplicity compared to the Kungrat "bosh". It consisted of a cap with or without a hair ornament, as well as several scarves tied in various ways. Later, skullcaps came into use, and from the 1950s onwards, the round skullcap embroidered with beads – the "girillok duppi" – became especially widespread. This exquisite headdress, adorned with intricate patterns, became not only a traditional element of women's attire but also a symbol of the craftsmanship of folk artisans.
Jewelry: Symbolism and Meaning
An integral part of the national costume were jewelry pieces, which served not only as a rich accessory and aesthetic addition but also carried deep symbolism. They did not merely emphasize a woman's ethnic identity, social status, and marital status but also performed a magical function, protecting their owner from evil forces. Skillfully crafted rings, bracelets, pendants, and earrings with traditional motifs were passed down from generation to generation, preserving within them the spirit of the time and the connection with ancestors.
Some ornaments of Baysun women, particularly those from the Kungrat tribe, bear noticeable similarities to the jewelry of ethnic groups leading a nomadic lifestyle – Turkmens, Kazakhs, and Karakalpaks.
One such adornment is the forehead-temporal pendant known as "sinsila" (silsila), which was popular not only among Kungrat women but also among Kazakh women, as well as among certain groups of Turkmen women. This exquisite piece, consisting of chains with pendants that adorned the forehead and temples, served both an aesthetic and a protective function. It is believed that it not only emphasized a woman's status and beauty but also protected her from the evil eye, lending her appearance a sense of completeness and majestic nobility. (4, p. 35). Among the Turkmen peoples, the "sinsila" was a massive ornament composed of large rhomboid plates inlaid with carnelian or multi-colored glass. These decorative elements not only gave the piece expressiveness but, according to beliefs, also possessed protective properties.
Unlike the Turkmens, among the semi-nomadic Uzbeks, the "sinsila" was more modest: it was rarely adorned with carnelian or sometimes lacked decorative inlays altogether. Differences also manifested in the traditions of wearing this jewelry. While among most Turkmen tribes, the "sinsila" (or "sunsula") was part of the wardrobe not only of adult women but also of girls aged 9–12, among the Uzbeks, such practice was significantly less common. This highlights the peculiarities of perceiving jewelry in different ethnocultural traditions: for the Turkmens, they were an important element accompanying a woman from an early age, whereas among the Uzbeks, the "sinsila" remained primarily an attribute of maturity. (5, p. 180) Among the Kungrats, the "sinsila" was considered a privilege of brides or young women, symbolizing their special status and position in society. Unlike the Turkmen traditions, where even girls wore this jewelry, among the Kungrats, it served a more specific role, associated with marriage and maturity.
Despite differences in execution details and wearing traditions, the common genesis of these ornaments remains unified. They reflect cultural connections and shared roots among peoples leading nomadic and semi-nomadic lifestyles, as well as similar concepts of beauty, social identity, and the protective power of amulets.
Types of chest and neck ornaments, such as "khapamat," "gulband," "khaykal," and "tomoklov," were highly diverse. Most often, they were made from silver and beads using traditional techniques, many of which have been preserved to this day.
Among these ornaments, a special place is occupied by the "khapamat" — a skillfully woven, net-like piece made of multicolored beads, complemented by numerous strands of beads. This ornament was traditionally worn by Kungrat women, although its name itself has Tajik origins: "khafa" meaning sorrow, and "band" meaning amulet, which can be interpreted as "protecting from sorrow." This name is likely connected to the prolonged cohabitation of Iranian-speaking peoples in this region.
It is interesting that beaded jewelry was also found among Tajik women from other regions, for example, in Karategin, Darvaz, and the upper reaches of the Zeravshan, where they had other names—"kashelak" or "turbofi." Beaded jewelry is not only an expression of ethnic identity but also evidence of the cultural exchange among peoples historically inhabiting the territory of the modern Baysun district. (2, p. 112) Judging by the jewelry depicted on the found dolls from the Zeravshan Valley and the Iskanderkul Lake area, the "khapamat" type of adornment has existed here since ancient times. On the dolls, one can see a necklace in the form of a dense band encircling the neck, with pendants falling onto the chest, made of beads.
This fact indicates a deep historical tradition of bead ornaments among the peoples of the region. Possibly, such items not only served as decorative elements but also held special symbolic meaning, associated with rituals, beliefs, or a woman's status in society. "Khapamat" represents one of the oldest types of adornments, passed down from generation to generation, preserving its cultural value in the Boysun district to this day. (6, p. 55) This fact indicates that such ornaments were widespread not only among nomadic Uzbek tribes but also among other peoples of the region.
Among the women of Baysun, earrings of various shapes were particularly popular. The most widespread were ring-shaped earrings with five or seven pendants — "beshoyoq" (besh-poya) and "yettipoya". The "uch kuzacha" (three little jugs) earrings are interesting, adorned with a pendant of three fused beads resembling miniature vessels. Active trade connections and cultural borrowings contributed to the spread of jewelry characteristic of other regions of Central Asia in Baysun. The works of Lakai and Tajik masters were especially valued. However, local jewelry art did not develop significantly over time, giving way to imported goods.
The traditional women's costume of Boysun District, having undergone a complex path of development and lost some of its distinctive features, has preserved the key elements of the folk attire of Surkhandarya, which distinguishes it from the clothing of other regions of Uzbekistan. However, this aspect of material culture remains understudied and represents significant interest for further ethnographic and historical-cultural research.
Sources:
1) Makhkamova S.M. Bekasam. – Tashkent: "Fan" Publishing House, 1971.
2) Sukhareva O. A. On the History of Cities of the Bukhara Khanate, Tashkent: Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR, 1958. – 145 pp.
3) Gyul E. Ornament of Surkhandarya Textiles from the 19th to Early 20th Centuries as a Historical Source//Materials of the International Scientific Conference. Baysun, 2002.
4) Traditional and Contemporary Clothing of Women in Mountainous Tajikistan [Text] / Ed. by A. K. Pisarchik; Academy of Sciences of the Tajik SSR, A. Donish Institute of History. - Dushanbe : Donish, 1976. - 206 p.
5) Vasilyeva G. P. Head and Hair Ornaments of Turkmen Women in the 19th – First Half of the 20th Century // Costume of the Peoples of Central Asia: Historical-Ethnographic Essays / Academy of Sciences of the USSR, N. N. Miklukho-Maklay Institute of Ethnography; [ed. by O. A. Sukhareva]. - M.: Nauka, 1979. - Pp. 174-204.
6) Peshchereva E. M. Toys and Children's Games Among Tajiks and Uzbeks// Collection of the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography. Vol. XVII. M., L., 1957.