CARPET AND FELT PRODUCTS IN TRADITIONAL KAZAKH RITUALITY

Abstract

Abstract. This article examines the significance of carpets in the family rituals and ceremonial practices of the Kazakh people. Drawing upon ethnographic materials, scholarly literature, and museum collections, the study analyzes the production techniques of carpets, their domestic and ritual functions, and their role in wedding, family, funerary, and memorial traditions. Particular attention is paid to carpets as gifts, components of dowries, rewards, indicators of social status, and means of preserving family memory. Based on the study of carpet and felt artifacts preserved in museum collections as valuable sources for understanding traditional Kazakh culture, the article explores the regional characteristics and cultural significance of carpet weaving. Special emphasis is placed on the role of women weavers in preserving and transmitting traditional craft skills, knowledge, and experience across generations. The preservation of weaving techniques, ornamental language, and family practices associated with carpets allows carpet weaving to be viewed not only as an artistic craft but also as an important mechanism for the intergenerational transmission of cultural experience.

The findings underscore the necessity of supporting public interest in historical and cultural heritage, revitalizing traditional customs, and promoting comprehensive research on carpet weaving as a means of revealing its spiritual and cultural dimensions.