Pakistan handicrafts have been popular throughout the world. These handicrafts are found from the time of Indus civilization they shown the same tradition and customs. Modern handicrafts evolved after much alteration .the invasions during ancient period led to culture exchanges that in turn flourished. The Indus civilization showed a remarkable artistic skill in all handicrafts of Pakistan.
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HERE IS A LIST OF VARIOUS CRAFTS OF PAKISTAN
• Textile
• pottery
• straw basketry
• Carpet & floor covering
• camel skin crafts
• metal crafts
• costume jewelry of white metal
• glass beads and bangles
• leather jewelry
• doll making
• wood crafts
• camel bone crafts
• the rock salts lamps
• wood crafts
Textile crafts
Rally, Ajrak, Block Printed articles, silk and cotton and zari thread embroidery, mirror work embroidery, hand woven fabrics and khes (bed spreads). Textile crafts one of the oldest crafts in the subcontinent. These crafts are learning from generations and a whole family works on these crafts. The range of designs employed on to these articles is enormous and the media of weaving, printing, embroidery and appliqué numerous. Patchwork or appliqué work rally (bed spread) is a popular rural crafts of Sindh. Carefully cut pieces of cloth in desired shape are hand stitched on the base of material in geometrically arranged pattern merging the skill of crafter with spirit of tradition. Ajrak is a technique of wooden block printing on cotton texture with a mixture of vegetable dyes involving some sixteen processes .in Ajrak both floral and geometrical Patterns are employed.
Hand Woven sussi fabrics and khes ( bed spread) are also traditional rural crafts of sindh.Sussi is the name given to hand woven cotton or silk fabric in striped pattern and khes is hand woven bed weave.
Sindh has distinct folk tradition in embroidery employing interlace stitches with silk, cotton; metallic threads. Sindh is also the home of mirror embroidery with its myriad reflection of light on bright colored base materials. Circular pieces of looking mirror are held together by the bottom hole stitches in the formal and exotic geometrical arrangement. Ladies in their home make these pieces and earn a little earning to support their family. Bold lines and bright colors are striking feature of rural embroider. Entire background is ornamented with thread and mirror work. Costume embroidered with such orientation becomes symbol of traditional and cultural festivity. This embroidery is used widely on dresses, caps, table cover, cushion cover and runners.
Tie and dye is one of the traditional dyeing styles in Pakistan one of traditional form of tie dying began some 5000 years ago. Called as bandhan .its techniques involve tying small dots with tread all over the fabric to create designs and motifs. After tying the fabric is dyed. then the ties are removed and a beautiful pattern form on the fabric.Leheria pattern is also very famous in tie-dye work. Leheria means waves. Each lehrai design is unique.
Straw basketry
The golden straw has for many years helped to rear the art of weaving decorative basketry. employing masterly skill and conforming happily to the theme of regional traditions, the straw weaver weaves the patterns of many a functional and decoration articles like trays ,plates, low rim baskets in round and oval shapes ,bread baskets with high rim and cover lid conventional hand fans and folk toys.
Glazed pottery
The glazed pottery of Sindh has traditional craft. And portrays influence and symbols of Indus valley Civilization of 3500B.C.The potter with age old skill turns out a wide range of functional and decorative articles .the forms of article s are elegant, bold and balance and the designs floral or geometrical and the glazes reflecting colors and shades of blue, golden, crimson and cinnamon brown and some times green also. The famous hala pottery is beautiful and unique.
Traditional floor coverings
Hand knotted carpets, farashi and namda
Pakistan has a place in the export trade of hand knotted woolen carpets in world markets. Hand knotted carpet is a product of the skill of designers and weavers mingled in the technique. Designs are harmoniously set in a formal array of floral or geometrical arrangements and knotted is done on the loom by skillful fingers of hereditary craftsmen. To watch them at work is very fascinating and interesting.
Daree is a hand woven product with harmonious Combination of cotton warp and woolen weft. Daree woven in exquisitely designed floral, geometrical or abstract patterns make an attractive floor covering with quality of durability and fancy of colorful setting.
Farashi is the traditional name of hand woven floor covering .it is an old rural craft of Sindh cleverly conceived with the combination of hand spun yarn of camel,goat hair in natural color and cotton yarn .designs employed in farashi are either simple striped or intricate geometrical. Farashi being strong in texture makes durable floor covering coupled with glitter of tradition.
Namda is cultural name of a felt carpet and has set a tradition as a floor covering. it is made of pressed rolled wool which makes the base for woolen yarn embroidery onto. Designs are generally styled depicting flowers and leaves, animal, figures, folk life and scenic views.
Camel skin crafts
The tedious technique of shaping the camel skin crafts and decorating them with indigenously prepared lacquer colors is a age old tradition. the camel skin is first cleared to become transparent clear and then stretched on clay moulds of the desired objects to attain the firm shape. the shaped articles are then merrily decorated with high degree of excellence in floral or intermingled geometrical patterns in bright colors. Decorative chronicles and miniature, natural land scape, royal hunting scene and animal figures and birds are also transformed in bright color onto camel skin objects with masterly skill to produce impact of realism and impressionism. Conventionally table lamp, hanging
Lamps, vases, bowls are produced. This crafts is mostly produce in Multan and Bahawalpur district.
Costume jewelry
White metal (German silver), glass beads, glass bangles and leather jewelry)
The tradition of jewelry in some form or other goes back to the first strings of civilization .it being their Devine right, the women in prehistorically period also used to adorn themselves with garlands, girdles, bangles, bracelets and ear-hanging made from fresh natural flowers or crafted with clay, semi precious stones, sea shell, fish bone or elephant tusk or made of alloy of metals.
With the advancement of cultural and traditional aesthetics and influenced with gold and silver, precious stones and diamonds and lately the white metal (German silver an alloy of copper, zinc and tin) the theme of costume jewelry under went harmonious changes. White metal wire when given shape by skilled figures of craftsmen to form lightweight costume jewelry in a variety of traditional designs and motifs is called filigree work.
Crafted by hand the simple colorful glass beads in countless shapes, shades and designs reflect both variety and perfection in form and treatment. Elegantly made glass beaded string necklaces and bracelets are in fancy and fashion for casual wear.
Glass bangle making is an art and we will see this in home factory where the young girls and ladies work on these high quality bangles with liquid gold and silver powder. Crafted by hand the simple, plain or decorated multicolored glass bangles are taken by womenfolk as joyful and festive way of adoration. Handcrafted colorful glass beads in countless shapes, shades and designs reflect both variety and perfection in form and treatment and master craft ship of these womenfolk.
Leather jewelry is a craft of recent origin. Prevalent indigenous talents introduced techniques of producing ornamentation items with leather intermixed with aesthetic harmony of shinning brass and anodized aluminum fittings and decorations. Leather jewelry has its own peculiar features and facets. Designs and shapes of components f leather jewelry are mostly modern conforming to tastes and trends of the young generation. Brown, light brown, black, red and blues shades of leather are used to produce a variety of necklaces, bracelets, bangles, and earring, finger rings.
Costume dolls
From age to age, people to people and from hand to hand, the art of doll making as a crafts has survived and flourished towards perfection. The villages folk have preserved the ancient medium of rag dolls .the rag dolls made by village women in their homes are primitive as well as exotic. Besides folk crafting of rag dolls, costume doll making has now been adopted commercially. Body of a doll is shaped with steel wire and stuffed with cotton and face moulds and facial features produced through techniques of painting. The clothes and apparels of these dolls reflect national and regional peculiarities. Again in home industry women and young ladies work to earn decent living for them.
Camel Bone Crafts
Crafting of artistic articles from ivory (elephant tusk) is an age-old tradition and backed by royal patronage it developed it developed to high esteem for the lovers of art. Ivory getting rare these days, the camel bone has been substituted. Laborious process is involved in curing, cutting and crafting small utility items of costume jewelry and accessories out of camel bone. work with extremely delicate and intricate carving, engraving, embossing and perforating in floral or geometrical designs and patterns with high degree of perfection.
Onyx Crafts
Pakistan has been bestowed by nature with multitude reserves of onyx in the mountains in the province of Baluchistan. Onyx comes from the family of marble but is distinctive for its beautiful colors and shades. The colors range from light green to medium and jade green, from copper brown to dark brown and within each color the varying effects of dark, medium and light shades interplay through the veins. Onyx has unique quality of being transparent against light. The technique of inlaying the delicately cut and shaped multicolored sea shells onto onyx crafts in floral or geometrical designs and patterns had historical linkage with century’s old art of inlaying diamonds and gems onto the object of marble. A variety of articles are produced like vases, flowerpots, lamps, bowls, plates, goblets &jars.
ROCK SALT
Salt is nature’s one of the most wonderful gifts having over 14000 known uses. Rock salt originated about 256 million years ago. Its mines in Pakistan are amongst one of the two biggest and oldest salt ranges in the world. Some sources claim that the rock salt was formed here before pre-Cambrian era. Salt is natural ionize, as such rock salt lamps are known to effectively improve the quality of air by producing negative ions(vitamin of the air)use of these lamp also offset the effects of positive. Ions produced by the modern day’s products and equipment. Pakistan has second largest mine of salt reserves at khewer salt mines there you can watch the rock lamp produce by artisans. Although not being a medical device. The salt crystal is known to help alleviate fatigue, stress, asthma, allergies, skin disorders, air moisture, and odor and also induce comfortable sleep. the wide range of soothing colors of the lamps help patients with blood pressure, emotional/psychological disorder.
Woodcrafts
A vast array of intricately hand carved, cut and embossed and skillfully brass inlaid and ingeniously lacquered articles both decorative and functional are produced with the fine standard of hereditary craftsmanship in the sector of woodcrafts. The hub for special wood work is in Hala, in Sindh and Chiniot, an ancient town with unique artistry. Different type of wood include Shish am, walnut and bhan. Modern shapes and styles embellished and ornamental with luster of traditional designs and motif afford the trends of functionalism and traditionalism and also the flexibility of being fit into contemporary way of life. Dark tone of Shesham wood provides a vivid contrast to brass inlay work ornamentation on to crafts. Multi colored and traditional ornamented lacquered wood furniture and crafts carry their own aesthetic values in cultural set up of Sindh. Embellished with floral carving, embossing or cut work, the walnut articles make a cozy and fascinating combination with the style of modern way of life.
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