Silk festival

It is an egg and chicken situation but I am not sure if Silk Route was passing through Sheki and that is why Sheki started producing silk or that silk was produced in Sheki and that is why Silk Route started to pass through Sheki. Will have to check this with historians.

During Soviet times most of the population of Sheki was either breeding silk worm or working in silk producing factory. I visited once the factory and saw that it is a very hard job I must say since smell caused by processing is awful and worms are put in a very hot water so it is very hot and unpleasant in the workshops…But the result - silk is amazing of course...

…starting last year Sheki is having silk festivals where craftsmen are exhibiting their works and tourists visit Sheki to buy silk scarves or even silk carpets. This is the photo that we took last year.

Those girls are wearing silk scarves made in Sheki. They and the other boys are also wearing national costumes because they are dance performers. Usually native Sheki people are very shy and it took us a while to convince them to take a group photo. They got very excited at the end and even their instructor joined us for the photo….