There are many tales and legends about Central Asian ceramics: the magic bowl (piala, cup) of Bukhara Sultan, the bowl steal the heart of the harsh ruler or beautiful dishes (lyagans), their patterns seem alive. Pottery is one of the most beloved and popular crafts of Uzbek people.

Gijduvan village is located forty-six kilometers from Bukhara. It is one of the famous pottery centers in Central Asia. Tour operators of Dolores Travel Services include visiting of these workshops in the tour programs (route Bukhara-Samarkand or vice versa).

House of Narzullaev Family in Gijduvan is famous all over the world. The pottery skills have been passed from generation to generation from father to son. The guests (tourists) have the opportunity to make sure that ceramics is one of the best in Uzbekistan.

First of all it will be shown the museum of ceramics. It exhibits a large collection of modern masters. The travelers could observe the diversity of ceramic schools in Central Asia because there are a lot of styles of production which reflect the culture of each region of Uzbekistan.

Skilled craftsmen tell the secrets of their work and show the process of dishes production (piala, lyagan, casa, pots, jugs), – starting with the choice of clay and finishing with painting and firing. Professionals of pottery make a real master class. Guests can try themselves to make a cup with their hands on a potter’s wheel or draw the unique ornament on a plate. They can take away their own masterpieces.

Gijduvan ceramics is very different from the others (Rishtan or Khorezm Ceramics). It is thick-walled, but at the same time weightless. You can see all shades of brown and yellow with dark green and blue blurred geometric ornaments. It is used natural dyes (grass usma, pomegranate peel, onion, etc.). A special feature of the potter is frozen glaze drops on the rim of the dishes, which are formed during firing.

There are a lot of dishes of Rishtan ceramics (Ferghana Valley, thin, with the exquisite blue-green pattern on a white background) in the souvenir shops of tourist centers of Uzbekistan. Gijduvan pottery you can find mostly in Bukhara, or in the workshop of Narzullaev Family. Do not miss the opportunity to visit this amazing village and open all the secrets of handicraft with Dolores Travel Services