Circassian style in jewelry of Zalim Tumov

FOLK ARTS AND CRAFTS OF THE ADYGHES (THE CIRCASSIANS)
"Circassian style in jewelry of Zalim Tumov»

Interview with Zalim Tumov.

Zalim Tumov is an artist jeweler, gunsmith from Kabardino-Balkaria, a member of the Union of painters of the Russian Federation and the International Association of fine arts of UNESCO, a teacher at the Kurkuzhinsky art school (Kabardino-Balkaria). He was awarded with the diploma of the International exhibition "The Blade. Traditions and modernity" (Moscow 2007) for high quality performance and fidelity to traditions, the diploma of the International competition of the Russian Academy of arts.

- You studied jewelry art in Istanbul, you’ve worked in Turkey for some time. However, you follow ancient traditions of the Adyghe masters, recreating the Circassian style, famous throughout the Caucasus. In your opinion, what exactly does distinguish this style in the past?

Z.T.: So, we can take, for example, a dagger. The Circassian dagger had a sheath with leather in the middle. Why a leather? It’s lightweight and practical material. In addition, it’s possible to decorate it. But even if it’s very beautiful, it may not correspond to hiking style of the Circassians. Catchy, it couldn't be used in practice. How to know if it’s Circassian or not? Only experienced masters manufacturing very many weapons could answer this question. At the past, in Georgia there were a lot of gunsmiths who forged Circassian weapons faking and knowing it was a popular and practical product. It was also faked in Dagestan.
During the Russian-Caucasian war and after there were a lot of migrant workers, craftsmen who went to other regions. But these masters had Dagestan or Georgian origin. And as patterns or ornaments of the Circassian style were popular, all masters of that time used them in their drawings. However, we can immediately see this or that weapon was not made by the Circassians. In Western Georgia, a lot of weapons were produced in the Circassian style. But when we start to consider the used ornament, only then we can determine it.
If we study the national women's clothing jewelry, there are details distinguishing only the Circassian style. For example, a half-hearted shape of belt. Of course, there were filigree shape, but only half-hearted form with back made with velvet decorated with a galloon distinguished the Circassian style.

- Did the old Adyghe masters have their special secrets, their technologies?

Z.T.: Certainly, the old masters had their own characteristics. Already having an experience, we can immediately see in some works which one was the master, his level, if he had disciples, and at which of his works they participated. It’s difficult to notice it for an ordinary person, but not for an experienced master. In Maykop, the National museum of the Republic of Adyghea presents unique exhibits created with the highest level, there are collected a lot of information about them. On the one hand, we can just look at them and say: "What interesting things!" On the other hand, we can research them and study directly. And according to the technology of their production, we can define when they were made, what style the master adhered to. This museum keeps a huge collection of jewelry which has yet to be explored.

- How difficult is it to recreate the Circassian style in manufacture of weapons today?

Z.T.: Honestly, it’s not difficult to learn how to work, anyone can. How to make a dagger, for example? We can learn to solder, make a cut, take pliers, and then work with burner. In fact, all that I show in the classroom or in master classes is not the most important. The most important thing is to draw an ornament, to recreate its shape. That is considered as a main direction, an achievement of master. And to do this, and it couldn’t come from the inside, we need to go to museums, to read books, to study old works. In the process, each craftsman creates his library. It so happens in the studied book of 500 pages only two are important. Or maybe only one photo from a whole magazine is valuable. Gradually, everything is put in the so-called card file which is keeping in master's head. And in 2-3 years, and maybe 5-10 years, depending on talent, ability, perseverance, the experience is gradually gaining, and master already differently sees some of these works.

- At the time, you participated at work of the creative laboratory "The way of the rider" with Felix Nakov in the head, which was engaged in the historical reconstruction of weapons and ammunition of the Circassian warrior of 18-19 centuries. How do knowledge and experience gained in the course of your participation work help you now to create your products in the Circassian style?

Z.T.: Yes, I really participated in the work of this research laboratory, and the experience gained there, of course, helps me now. The group also included blacksmith Kanshoubi Boriev, jeweler and blacksmith Ahmed Kushkhov, artist-jeweler Mussa Alimov. It was supported by benefactor and collector Anzor Pshinshev who financed these studies. Then we received awards, took an active part in international exhibitions. I myself was awarded with a diploma of the International exhibition "The Blade. Traditions and modernity" just for preservation of traditions.
But, in fact, the historical reconstruction, first of all, should be determined by the need of the people to preserve the traditional. This is possible if there are those who fanatically like crafts. Indeed, the humans should understand these are household items of their people. Any master making them must be in demand. In our time, it’s necessary to promote folk culture among people, to attract them to its study.

- Today, for various reasons, the Adyghe national clothing, especially women's clothing, is stylized, so, elements of non-jewelry manufacture are used for its decoration. This applies to gazyrs, breastplates, men's and women's belts. Do you think such stylization does not contribute to preservation of the traditional Circassian style in cloths?

Z.T.: Even stylization is keeping today the traditional. Certainly, nowadays jewelry in the Circassian style is not cheap, so this fact significantly reduces the range of their consumers. Therefore, other materials are used. For example, if we take a woman's belt, it costs about 150 thousand rubles. But, of course, silver never goes bad. Today people of St. Petersburg, Moscow, from abroad make me orders. They keep these products, create their own little corner of the motherland at home and hand down them as a family heirloom. A weapon and belts made with precious metal are stored for a long time; they are retained in family for centuries.

- Are there any traditional elements of the Adyghe women's costume, made in the old days by master jewelers, which went out of use and were irretrievably lost?

Z.T: First of all, I note there are techniques of master jewelers which need to be studied to restore. But while there are no prerequisites for this, there are little information and objects to compare and analyze. We need to look for more material.
As for lost items, sometimes it’s difficult to determine their Circassian origin. For example, such thing of women's clothing with elements of silver as little bells. They were in Persia and in Central Asia. It’s difficult to note who invented them first, who took them from whom. And the same thing with daggers. They can be short, long, with two blades. All nations have them. Only the seshkho is a creation of the Circassians. At the same time, the ornament decorating it did not change, but it only was supplemented.

- There are not so many masters recreating the Circassian style today. What advice would you give to those who would like to learn jewelry craft and to produce traditionally Adyghe jewelry made with silver and gold?

Z.T.: Unfortunately, we lost about 100 years, where there were no master jewelers. Today our generation is the second generation of masters. Among the first jewelers there are Muhamad Zakureev, Vyacheslav Mastafov, Alexander Pazov. All of them work in their own direction: someone is engaged in stamping, someone- in saddlery, and someone- in engraving, but all work in the Circassian style. Desirably, beginners must to know their works and to use their experience. Certainly, it’s necessary that the republics have such policy which would contribute to promote master classes of such masters. And more communication with them better helps to use their valuable experience.
For recommendations to beginners, before manufacturing, it’s better, at first, as I said; to study works of old masters, to explore exhibitions in museums, to get acquainted with literature. After that, they should, having received a great practice, to develop their own characteristic style, handwriting, so to speak, in the Circassian style, in order to create their own further. And we have to remember inventing we must to rely on that we have already learned. Only complementing, we can become recognizable.

- Thank you very much for the interview!

The interview is written by Fatima Teuchezh
Photos source: website of artist-jeweler, gunsmith Zalim Tumov: http://zalim-tumov.ru