The city of Samarkand is situated in a large oasis in northeastern Uzbekistan, and has always been a melting pot and a cultural crossroads. This colorful caftan of silk and cotton comes from the city.
In Central Asia during the 19th and early 20th silk dyed in the this way was born by both men and women, though women could only wear theirs indoors in the past. Caftans like this, made with a dying technique known as ikat, were a status symbol for wealthy merchants. They might wear as many as ten caftans, one over the other, to display their wealth and status. The higher the quality of the silk, the more complex the colorings and intricate the patterns, the more exclusive it was.
Central Asia has played an important role in the exchange of goods between east and west throughout history, bringing great wealth to the region. Textile production was and remains an important industry. The people of Central Asia have had a turbulent history. In the 8th century, it was conquered by Arabs, who brought Islam with them, which has been the primary religion in the region ever since. During the 13th and 14th centuries, the Mongols were in control. In the mid-19th century, Russia took power and ruled until the collapse of the Soviet Union. Uzbekistan became independent for the first time in 1991.