The exhibition at the State Museum-Reserve “Kulikovo Field”, in the hall “Rus and Horde: 14th Century Warfare”, features a decorative base for a clasp of a waist pouch. This is a detail of costume from the 14th–15th centuries. The base consists of two parts: the base as such and a decorative plate depicting a dragon. Both parts were made of bronze alloys and were cast, then filed and finally assembled into one mechanism.

Pockets as we know them today only appeared in the 17th century and did not become fashionable until two centuries later, at the beginning of the 19th century. However, this does not mean people did not carry small items before that. In the Middle Ages, a small waist pouch was used instead of pockets. It was worn on a belt and was an integral part of a costume, worn both on the left and right sides.

In the era of the Battle of Kulikovo, various items could be stored in a pouch, such as a comb, a fire striker, flint for lighting a fire, keys and other items. Waist pouches also served as purses, where small amounts of coins or silver bars could be kept. After battles, these waist pouches were the coveted prize for the winners. Conflicts arose around pouches among the victors when dividing the loot.

Waist pouches typically had a flap richly embroidered and decorated with appliques or metal linings. They could also be decorated with embossing on the entire surface. Pouch clasps or, specifically, their plates cast from bronze or silver alloys, added to the decorative appeal. The more noble a warrior was, the more luxurious his pouch appeared.

Unlike in the Early Middle Ages, during the era of the Battle of Kulikovo, waist bags pouches were not directly associated with warfare. However, one can hardly imagine a Russian or Golden Horde warrior without this item.

The decorative plate at the museum-reserve exhibition depicts a dragon, a typical motif in the artistic ornamentation of the Golden Horde Volga region.