Koni Gil Meros Craft Factory (paper workshop)

About

Historical heritage of Samarkand paper

Paper production in Samarkand originated in the mid-8th century (after the famous Battle of Talas in 751). Local craftsmen improved the Chinese method: instead of short-lived plant fibers and rags, they began using the bast layer of mulberry (tutovnik) bark and key mountain water.

Samarkand paper was famed for its unsurpassed smoothness, density and resistance to moisture and pests.

Throughout the Middle Ages it was a most valuable export commodity of the Great Silk Road, displacing papyrus and parchment in the Islamic world and Europe.

By the early 19th century, due to wars and the appearance of factory-made European paper, the craft in Samarkand was completely forgotten.

Revival of the secret by the Mukhtarov brothers

In 1995–2000, Samarkand master ceramicist Zarif Mukhtarov, together with his brother Islam, devoted five years to studying ancient treatises, archaeological finds and recipes. The experiments were crowned with success: in the village of Konigil ("clay spear") a water mill was built and an authentic production cycle was recreated without a gram of chemical additives.

The technological process from branch to polished sheet

Preparation of fibers: The bark is cut from young mulberry branches, the rough dark outer layer is separated, leaving the inner fibrous layer (cambium).

Boiling in cauldrons: The raw material is boiled for hours in large vats over an open fire with the addition of natural wood ash.

Beating with water-driven pestles: The softened mass is placed in wooden mortars, where heavy wooden pestles, driven by the energy of a water wheel on the Siab river, beat the fibers for many hours into a homogeneous pulp.

Dipping of sheets: In a spacious vat the mass is diluted with key water. The master immerses a sieve of fine mesh into the solution, smoothly scoops up the suspension and forms a sheet.

Pressing and drying: A stack of wet sheets is sent under a wooden screw press, after which each sheet is glued onto vertical boards for natural air drying.

Burnishing (glazing): The dried paper has a yellowish tint. It is polished by hand on a marble table with the help of a mountain goat's horn or smooth agate, thanks to which the surface becomes silky-smooth and the ink does not run when writing.

Use and the craft village of Konigil

World recognition: Samarkand paper from the «Meros» factory, thanks to the absence of chemicals, does not yellow and retains its strength for 300–400 years. It is purchased by leading museums, archives and libraries of the world (including the Louvre, the Vatican and the Institute of Oriental Studies) for the restoration of ancient manuscripts and miniatures.

Souvenirs: In the factory's branded shop, notebooks, postcards, passport covers, masks, traditional dolls and even handbags are sold from this paper.

Ethno-complex: The territory has turned into a popular craft village: guests can visit a traditional dark flaxseed oil mill (zigir-yog), a pottery workshop, take part in master classes and try Samarkand plov on tapchans under century-old trees