CRAFTS
CRAFTS, traditional occupations based on manual production. The types and characteristic features of the Bashkir C. were caused by natural and climatic peculiarities of Bashkortostan, traditional forms of economy (wild‑honey farming, agriculture, cattle breeding, etc), everyday life, historical cultural traditions and customs.
Men’s C. included the manufacture of traditional means of transport, various household and home items using wood raw materials and bast braiding. Masters in metalworking were engaged in the production of weapons, agricultural tools, hunting and fishing equipment, household implements, etc. Among Bashkirs there were experienced masters of ironworks, silverworks, etc; different methods of smelting, forging, casting were known; silvering, blackening, chasing, notching, engraving, etc were used in intricate metalworks. Local raw materials were mostly used, jewelery was also made from old silver coins. Nomadic cattle breeding comprised the basis of the economy and facilitated the spreading of leather business: different techniques for processing and decoration of leather, fur dressing, manufacture of leather utensils, items of horse equipment were used. The masters of stone carving were mainly engaged in the production of millstones and threshing stones.
Women’s C. included knitting, carpet making, felt‑making, cloth‑making, weaving, fabrication of the items of Bashkir costume, traditional decorations, hats, footwear, etc. A special type of C. was the design of wedding costumes. The products were decorated with appliquйs, embroidery, ornament, and patchwork mosaic.
Based on the economy of different ethnographic groups of Bashkirs in the southern and south‑eastern areas of Bashkortostan, the most widespread C. were leather processing, manufacture of decorated felt, woven wool products, including shawls, napless woven carpets based on patchwork mosaic, cloth making, carpet making; Trans‑Ural Bashkirs manufactured birch utensils, leather and wool products; in mountain areas — wooden utensils, ornamental napless woven carpets and felted fabric, metalworks; in northern areas — bast, bark and inner bark braidings, woodworking, knitting, embroidery, patterned weaving; Irgiz and Kamelik Bashkirs were engaged in tambour embroidery, knitting, making ornamental carpets.
With the reduction of the scope of cattle breeding and the introduction of a ban for Bashkirs to engage in blacksmithing and manufacture of metal products, the economic value of some types of C. began to decrease. The development of industry accelerated this process, handicrafts were gradually replaced by mass production. In late 19 — early 20 centuries, cooperage, lathe, carpentry, etc. C. emerged; some of them later developed into handicraft industries.
In the late 50s of the 20th century, national holidays (sabantuy, kargatuy, etc) were revived in Bashkortostan, which facilitated the new stage in the development of carpet making, cloth making, weaving, knitting, etc and fabrication of various utensils for festive rituals in rural areas. Since the 2nd half of the 20th century, art handicraft enterprises and art workshops were created (ref. DecorativeApplied Art).
