One of the remarkable medieval architectural monuments located southwest of the Khoja Ahmed Yasawi Mausoleum is the Eastern Bathhouse. Built in the 16th century, it served the local population continuously until 1975. In 1979, at the initiative of Uzbekali Zhanibekov, partial restoration was carried out, and the process of museification of its rooms began. The semi-underground five-domed complex was expanded with an entrance hall and a summer teahouse, where museum displays were set up. Some materials prepared for the initial 1979 exhibition remain part of the display to this day. Given that the bathhouse functioned until modern times, the exhibition included items from the late 1970s–1980s: examples of towels, men’s underwear, belts, headwear, outer garments, and other bathing accessories. Additionally, artists from “Kazmuzeyrestavratsiya,” under the commission of Chief Museum Curator Uzbekali Zhanibekov, created five oil paintings depicting the purification rituals of the bathhouse. These works have retained their museum value for 46 years. Another unique feature of the exhibition is a fragment from the 12th-century literary heritage — Chapter XVI of the “Qawusnama” entitled “Rules for Visiting the Bathhouse,” presented in traditional Eastern calligraphy on a board. Visitors have always been impressed by the wisdom and refined culture reflected in this ancient text. The entrance hall features informative texts about the symbolic meaning of the bathhouse and schematic drawings of its heating system. Of particular note are the “ground cushions” (zher zhastyk), traditional bathhouse accessories. The museum’s collection includes one large and fourteen individual examples, produced in the 1970s–1980s at the “Tuskilem” factory in Almaty at the request of Uzbekali Zhanibekov. Historical prototypes of such items date back to 1916. In August of this year, these cushions, along with other bathhouse items from the 1970s–1980s, were reintroduced to the public in specially prepared showcases. A full re-exposition of the Eastern Bathhouse is planned for the near future. Using modern technology, the updated exhibition will immerse visitors in the atmosphere of a traditional Kazakh bathhouse, introducing them to its architectural design and cultural significance.
Exposition and Exhibition Department, Exhibition Organizer R.S. Zhuzbayeva
