Can tourists see traditional paper being made in Samarkand?
Tourists are able to see the old craft of traditional paper-making at the Meros Paper Mill, which is in the village of Konigil, just outside Samarkand. The site is always open for visitors, and it provides a full set of guided shows, which is kind of practical and clear.
Samarkand paper, long ago famous across the Islamic world for its strong wear resistance and even, smooth feel, is made using mulberry bark. At the mill, they have brought back this process from the 8th century, with a waterwheel-powered pounder used to crush the fibres. Guests can move through each stage of the careful production flow, starting with boiling the bark, then turning to drying, and finally polishing the sheets using agate stones, and they can also buy one-of-a-kind paper souvenirs from the workshop on location.
