ALMATY – Long before written language became widespread, the nomadic world spoke through patterns. In Kazakh culture, ornaments were more than decoration: they carried identity, beliefs, and a way of seeing the world shaped by life in the steppe. Bulbul Kapkyzy.
Photo credit: Kapkyzy’s Instagram page. Ethnographer and craftswoman Bulbul Kapkyzy says traditional oyu-örnek (ornament) should be understood not as a single concept but as a layered cultural language, where each element carries its own meaning and function. According to Kapkyzy, although the terms oyu (carved ornament) and örnek (embossment) are often used together, they refer to different techniques and forms of expression.
Oyu is created through cutting and appliqué, forming patterns that are then applied to felt carpets, clothing, and household items. On its own, it is incomplete, as it becomes meaningful only when integrated into an object. Örnek, in contrast, refers to engraved or embossed patterns, most commonly seen in jewelry and metalwork.
Together, they form a unified visual system that reflects both craftsmanship and worldview. According to Kapkyzy, ornaments once functioned as a form of communication. What is now perceived as decoration once served as a kind of visual passport. Patterns on clothing, weapons, or everyday items could reveal a person’s origin, social status, or occupation.
Along trade routes such as the Silk Road, where people spoke different languages, these symbols allowed communication without words. Much like modern signage, they helped people navigate their identities and meanings in unfamiliar environments. “If today we navigate by uniform signs at airports or road signs, then for our ancestors, such a navigator was oyu.
It is important to remember that this is a symbol that defines our national mentality and value system,” she said. According to Kapkyzy, the foundation of Kazakh ornamentation lies in nature. Living in close connection with their surroundings, nomads transformed elements of the natural world into symbolic motifs.
These patterns varied across regions, shaped by landscape and way of life. In East Kazakhstan, where livestock breeding dominates, horn-like motifs such as koshkar muiz (ram’s horn) are common. In addition, there are symbols representing other animals and birds: tuye taban (camel foot), qaztaban (goose feet), botamoyin (camel baby’s neck), qazmayin (goose neck), qus kanaty (bird wing), balik koz (fish eye), botagoz (camel baby’s eye), and qustumsik (bird beak).
In South Kazakhstan, where agriculture is more prevalent, floral and plant-based motifs dominate. In the western part of the country, patterns inspired by grains such as wheat and barley symbolize abundance and prosperity.