Ten Karakalpak Saukele

Abstract

The Karakalpak female wedding headdress, saukele, may be seen as an example testifying to the superb skill of folk artists – jewelers and embroiderers – as well as to the unique cultural traditions of the Karakalpak which reveal the particular features of ritual practices of the people. The article is an attempt to present a comparative examination of these artifacts and explore their common traits and differences. Up until recently there were seven specimens of saukele known to researchers. All of them are currently in museum collections. The discovery of three new samples in a private collection has prompted the present research.