One of the most popular stops on our Uzbekistan tours is the visit to the Narzullayev ceramics workshop between Bukhara and Samarkand. The family have been potters at the same plot near the Zeravshan River for five generations. They continue to use methods that have endured for literally thousands of years. You’ll see how pots are thrown and fired in a traditional kiln, with glazes made from desert plants and local minerals (ground in situ on a wheel driven by a donkey!). Visitors are also encouraged to try their hand at the wheel (with often hilarious consequences, in our experience).

A wide selection of plates and pots are also available for purchase in the Narzullayev’s showroom – a great storehouse of souvenirs.