The Russian word “lar” means a large wooden container with a hinged lid that is used to store household items. Its meaning can be understood from its etymology. It appears to have originated from Old Swedish, where it meant “drawer” or “chest”.

Sergey Timofeyevich Aksakov in his work “A Family Chronicle: The Childhood Years of Bagrov Grandson” mentions this item,

Unlike a larets — a casket — the lar is relatively large. Compared to the casket, it is characterized by a simple shape and the absence of paintings or other decorations. Typically, it was used for storing household utensils and ingredients in bulk. The lar falls into the intermediate category between furniture and containers. Its classification as a piece of furniture or a container depends on its size, level of portability, and the ability to sit, lie, or perform activities on its lid. This also explains the other use of wooden lars in city bazaars, where they were used simultaneously as storage boxes and counters. Interestingly, the Russian word for a stall or a small trading kiosk — laryok — was derived from the word “lar”.