The Belt

In the old days, there were such beliefs in the upper reaches of the Irtysh: during difficult childbirth, the belt of the mother–in-law of the woman in labor acquired great importance, it was believed that if she was circled three times with this belt, she would certainly be happily resolved; the father necessarily gave the belt to his son at 10-12 years old; there was a Kazakh custom – to hang belts on a pole in case of the owner’s death; the belt was often a prize at the races, and the winner, receiving the belt, gave away the horse, since the belt was considered a very expensive gift; the belt, acting as a talisman, passed from generation to generation, and the belt acquired a sacred character through the shape of a circle, identifying with the Universe.

The whole structure was endowed with a semantic meaning, including silver plaques that perform a decorative and protective function. In the decoration of belts, the image of a soaring (flying) bird is often found. Birds of prey from ancient times were totems, objects of religious veneration, symbolized the fertilizing and purifying power of the sun, as well as air, freedom, goodness, happiness and wealth.