The Woodcarver

The second episode of Handmade on the Silk road, The Woodcarver, is set in Khiva, Uzbekistan. This ancient walled city is one of the oldest centres of wood carving in central Asia. Shavkat Jumanijozov has been working with wood in the city for over thirty years, producing superbly carved doors, chests and wooden pillars that are displayed and sold all over the world. Trained by the grandson of a famous 19th century carver, Shavkat is a proud master of his craft and oversees a team of brothers, sons and nephews, passing his expertise on to the next generation. This episode follows the master carver at work as he creates an impressive two metre wooden column, from the first cuts into the wood to its carving, sanding, shaping and varnishing.