Rishtan - a small yet legendary town located 50 kilometres from Fergana, has long been known as the heart of pottery craftsmanship along the Great Silk Road. Since ancient times, it has been celebrated for producing exquisite ceramics that once adorned the palaces of Chinese emperors, according to legend.
In Rishtan, artisans use a special reddish clay called hoki surkh, remarkable for its plasticity and durability after firing.
The components for the glaze are sourced from nearby areas: quartz (ok tosh) from Sokh and Gurumsaray, white clay (ok kum) from Shibron, and rich clays from Isfara, Angren, or Kizil-Kiya for the slip coating.
The true magic lies in the ishkor glaze, which gives Rishtan ceramics their signature emerald–turquoise shine.
The process of making ishkor is intricate and requires great care. Each spring, local masters collect rare mountain plants -kirkbugin, choroynak, and balikkuz, whose ashes are rich in natural minerals. The ashes are then sifted, purified, and mixed with quartz or white sand to produce a natural alkali, the essential base for the famous Rishtan glaze. When copper oxide is added, the ceramics light up with vivid turquoise hues, while iron oxide creates a warm golden-ochre glow. These shimmering colours never fade, even after decades — a testament to the mastery of Rishtan’s artisans.
Alisher Nazirov, a first-generation master, has devoted his life to preserving and developing this ancient craft.
From the age of 12, he studied under the great ustos - Eliboy Daliyev, Abduqodir, and his son Kimsanboy Abduqodirov.
In 1994, Alisher completed an internship in Japan, where he created more than 80 unique works in the studio of the renowned ceramic artist Isokichi Asakura.
His solo exhibitions were held in Komatsu (1994, 1996) and Tokyo (2004), earning admiration from art connoisseurs across Japan.
In 2005, his long-held dream came true - he opened his own ceramics school and workshop in Rishtan, where he personally trains the next generation of craftsmen.
Today, the works of Alisher Nazirov are also showcased at the Eternal City, where visitors can witness true works of art created by the hands of a master whose name is known far beyond Uzbekistan.
