Glove puppet with a flat face or head and a flat central rod. The face is a disc covered in fabric in an abstract pattern of concentric squares against a striped ground in red, black, white, yellow, grey and blue. Black tassels represent the hair. The puppet also has flat metal discs representing ears.
The puppet is wearing a plain brown headscarf decorated with metal star shapes (one is missing); a golden metal-fabric waistcoat (fabric is made from rows of metal circles) and a triangular amulet with a gold and black motif pinned to the left breast. Underneath the waistcoat is a long dress with long sleeves made from a dark blue fabric which is patterned with flower motifs in dark red velvet. All materials are synthetic.
This puppet was made in Urgut, Uzbekistan. Puppets from Urgut (to the south-east of Samarkand) are characterised by their flat, abstract faces and heads. They are made this was to avoid offending Muslim sensitivities regarding human representation. They are an old style of puppet made by village women to entertain their children and most likely, as toys for the children. They are named by the children.
