KHIVA: A CONSERVED HERITAGE WITHIN THE SANDS - Tourism in Central Asia: Cultural Potential and Challenges - page 118

FIGURE 21 Forehead pendant, Khiva, end of 19th century (Uzbekistan: Heirs to Silk

Road, 1997).

Khiva today is the center of music, poetry and fine arts. Khorezm is
famous for the black sheep fur hats that men have been wearing since
ancient times. Besides cotton production, carpentry, cloth, and wood
and stone carvings are still alive in Khiva. In Ichan Kala, it is possible
to watch various shows about traditional Khiva folklore with music and
dance, to purchase various handcrafts like traditional clothes (Fig. 22), fur
hats ( karakul tilpak) , carpets, textile products ( suzani, ikat) , and jewelry.
Khorezm History Museum, which previously used to exist in Tash Hauli
palace, now resides in a stand-alone building. One section of the museum
exhibits archeological and ethnographical findings found in the excava-
tions done in Koy-Kyrylgan Kala and Toprak Kala by Tolstov. Other mu-
seums are found in palaces and madrassahs. Khorezm Life and Applied
Arts Museum is located in Kazi Kalyan Madrassah and presents samples
from wood, stone and metal craftsmanship, jewelry, carpet, and ceramics
made by Khiva artists since the 13th century. Handcrafts Museum, which
exhibits tools of Khorezm craftsmen (blacksmiths, silversmiths, weavers,
gunners), is located in Matpana Bay Madrassah.

FIGURE 22 Khorezm female dress, silk-cotton mix, ikat, beginning of 20th century
(Uzbekistan: Heirs to the Silk Road, 1997).