UZBEKISTAN

Celestial Ceramics

Rishtan is a small town in the Fergana Province of Uzbekistan, which has been famous for glazed ceramics since ancient times. Rishtan ceramics have their own design features, a set of symbols and colours. They are made from red clay, which is mined only in that town, and can be distinguished by the turquoise tones painted with intricate patterns.

For more than a thousand years, nothing has changed in the technology of traditional Rishtan ceramics, and it has been the main type of craft of local residents. About a hundred hereditary masters live in the town, who pass their skills and secrets from father to son. 

Rishtan ceramics can be seen at fairs and markets throughout Uzbekistan, however in this small town in the south of the Ferghana Valley you can watch the production process and even try your hand at making a plate or jug. Be sure to visit the workshops of the most famous ceramists, Rustam Usmanov and Alisher Nazirov.