The Buryat people practiced cattle breeding which was the predominant branch of their traditional economy. They raised horned cattle, horses, sheep and goats. Under the influence of the Russians, the Buryats also began to engage in arable farming. Hunting and fishing were of secondary importance.

Blacksmithing, leather and hide processing, felt making, production of horse accessories, clothes and footwear, carpentry and joinery were among the crafts that were well developed. Bone, wood and stone carving, casting, metal chasing and jewelry making played important roles from ancient times.

Men’s robes were usually sewn without pockets. When girded, Buryats carried a tea bowl, a tobacco pouch, a pipe and other necessary accessories under the robe. The belt served as a kind of corset — when riding for a long time, the back had additional support. Such an item was an indicator of a certain social status of a person. The belt played an important role in rituals. It was not only a sign of honor and dignity, but sometimes helped to establish personal relations.

The ancient custom of exchanging belts was performed as an act of establishing a friendly alliance or sworn brotherhood, or as a part of rituals connected with marriage. The sworn brother was often closer than the kin. Frequently, when sworn brotherhood was established, it was not only the belt itself that was often exchanged, but the whole belt set, which included a knife in a scabbard, a snuff-box, sometimes a saddle and even a horse. These items were decorated with precious stones and metals, so their material value was high.

It was also believed that the belt kept a person alive. Once the belt was taken off, it was tied in the middle with a knot and then hung high on a nail or hook. The belt was not to be thrown on the ground, stepped over, cut or torn off. If a person stepped on someone else’s belt, it was considered a deep insult.

The hunter’s belt was usually worn over the shoulder, with the following accessories attached to it: a powder box (placed under the robe), measuring cups for gunpowder, bags for bullets or pellets, and pouches for tinder and flint.

A Buryat hunter’s shoulder-belt from the museum’s collection consists of a leather belt with buckles, to which was attached a round wooden powder pouch with a metal neck, a powder horn, and a leather pouch for bullets. The belt was hand-crafted in the 19th century.