Large Lakai Ilgich

This is a large Lakai Ilgich made in Uzbekistan in the 19th century. It is made out of wool cloth with silk embroidery and silk tassels.

Ilgich are wall hangings that young Lakai and Kungrat women designed and embroidered to show their technical and artistic virtuosity. These textiles are highly individualized, made up of abstract designs chosen by the women who made them, and were prized in the home. Some of these abstractions are sourced from the animal world, though they are expressive rather than representational. Motifs that can be described as scorpions, spiders, snakes, birds of prey and rams’ horns were commonly used, but the individual embroiderer had the freedom to alter these shapes and compose her ilgich as she chose. This example is an “at torba ilgich” which is a common design type that features a central cruciform shape that often combines a diamond shape and horns.