This ornament is very similar in meaning to the zigzag (irek). The pattern is used to frame ornamental compositions on many items of Kazakh decorative and applied art. Graphically, it is a wavy line reminiscent of waves, symbolizing water, fertility, purity, infinity and the source of life.
The motif is very popular in world culture. A universal sign associated with the cult of water and water sources in general. In archaic and traditional cultures, water is considered the primary foundation of the world and a sacred substance semantically associated with the highest deities: Anahita – the goddess of sacred water in the Avestic tradition, the patron of the water world angel Harvatat, etc.
the pattern “water” has various forms and visual configurations in the world art. However, in most cases, due to its functional properties, it completes ornamental compositions, fills empty spaces and thus enhances the power of the artistic narrative
