Uzbekistan · Metalwork / Engraving / Repoussé
Мисгарлик (Misgarliq)
Mis-gari (мисгарлик — copper work) is the Uzbek tradition of producing engraved and repoussé copper vessels — trays, bowls, ewers, and samovars — that were the standard household prestige objects of the Silk Road city. The Bukhara and Samarkand traditions use a specific combined technique: the vessel is first raised by repoussé from flat sheet copper, then the surface is covered with a dense field of engraved geometric and floral pattern that covers every visible surface — 'not one finger-width of copper should be left undecorated.' The full-coverage principle is the aesthetic and quality standard. Coverage is assessed by running the fingernail across the surface: 'if the fingernail finds bare copper, the work is unfinished.'
Risk level: Critically Endangered · Uzbekistan national ICH list
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