The Center of Islamic Civilization in Tashkent (CISC) has received a ritual sugar-cutting axe from the early 18th century, donated by the British gallery Momtaz Islamic Art, the Center’s press service reported.
The 31-centimeter axe, crafted by Iranian masters from carved steel, was traditionally used at weddings and festive occasions for sweets and decorative serving.
The artifact was personally presented by collector Irina Momtaz during a special ceremony following the international forum Heritage of the Great Past — the Basis of an Enlightened Future, held at the Center on September 26–27.
“Your museum has, for the first time in the world, shown all the objects as a coherent whole, in a single historical panorama. The exhibits seemed to come alive — something I have never seen in other museums,” Momtaz said while presenting the gift. The axe will become part of the CISC’s permanent collection.
The forum Heritage of the Great Past — the Basis of an Enlightened Future was organized on the initiative of Shavkat Mirziyoyev. More than 200 scholars and experts from over 20 countries participated, including representatives of national and international organizations such as TÜRKSOY, ISESCO, IRCICA, and Al-Furqan.
The Center of Islamic Civilization was built in the capital of Uzbekistan next to the Khast-Imam complex. Designed in the style of medieval architectural monuments, the building features four portals, each 34 meters high, and a central dome reaching 65 meters. It houses a Quran Hall, a 460-seat conference hall, and a museum whose exhibitions cover the history of Uzbekistan from pre-Islamic times to the present. The CISC is intended as a platform for studying the legacy of the past and rethinking it in cooperation with the International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan and academic and educational centers worldwide.
