TRADITIONS AND CONTEMPORARY TRANSFORMATIONS OF POTTERY ART IN THE FERGANA VALLEY

Abstract

This article presents a comprehensive study of the pottery art of the Fergana Valley as a significant element of Uzbekistan’s traditional material culture and intangible cultural heritage (Tolstov, 1948; Zhadova, 1987). The research explores the historical formation of regional pottery schools, technological features of ceramic production, artistic forms, and ornamental symbolism. Particular attention is paid to the transformation of pottery traditions during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries under the influence of industrialization, market economy, and globalization processes (Gulyamov, 1991). Based on historical-ethnographic and comparative-analytical approaches, the study identifies both stable traditional features and emerging contemporary trends in the development of pottery in the Fergana Valley. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the role of traditional crafts in preserving cultural identity under modern socio-economic conditions.