This headdress, which covers the entire head and shoulders (and in the back almost the entire figure), is figuratively considered a symbol of motherhood and wisdom, since it was worn exclusively by married women. It is believed that there are more than 16 types and variants of this headdress. It was made of white cotton fabric, and the younger a woman was, the more richly decorated the kimeshek was. Sequins, fringes, coral beads, braids, braid ribbons and silver plates were used for decoration, which promoted the ideas of fertility, prosperity and a happy life, and were also a kind of security and protection amulet, as well as a visual reflection of spells.
As women aged, the rich ornamentation of the headdresses gave way to a more modest one, and widowed women wore them inside during the first year of mourning so that the ornaments would not be visible. While this headdress initially reflected a desire to protect a woman from magical ruin during the period of childbirth, as she grew older it became an attribute of wisdom, a kind of indicator of life experience and respect. In other words, shape, appearance and ornaments not only had a protective and aesthetic function, but also served as a sign of age gradation. As a rule, a new kimeshek was sewn for each woman, and the first donning of the kimeshek by a new kelin (daughter-in-law) was accompanied by a women’s banquet attended by the elders of the family and clan – mother-in-law and other female relatives. This headdress was inherited exclusively from a great and happy mother who believed in the same life and welfare.
