Puppet "Kongur-Bai - kumurchi aksakal" - foreman of the coal miners' workshop

Uzbek

Turkestan Krai, Syr-Darya Oblast, city Tashkent

late 19th century

Cloth, wood, silk, paint, glass, cordons, fur

РЭМ 1313-10

A puppet from the "chodir hayal" puppet theater. The profession of a charcoal burner (Uzbek: "kumurchi"), who burned wood to prepare coal for tandoors, sandals, and other household needs, was in demand primarily by city dwellers who, in urban settings, could not afford to harvest coal themselves. The puppet, depicting the foreman of the charcoal burners' workshop, wears a silk turban, a robe trimmed with gold braid, and a saber at his side. The foreman's entire appearance, despite his blackened face—a testament to his dirty work—demonstrates his good financial and social standing.