This tues from the collection of the Uray City Historical Museum is an object of everyday life of the peoples of Siberia. It is a cylindrical container made of birch bark, although sometimes the object was shaped otherwise, for example, like a pyramid. The North Russian dialects borrowed the word “tues” from the ancient Permian (Komi) language, where the word “toy” meant birch bark.
In the modern Komi language, the word “toy” has fallen out of use, only the words “tuyis”, “tuesok” have survived, which, as researchers suggest, are a reverse borrowing from northern Russian dialects.
The tues is striking in the simplicity of its design. It resembles a vacuum flask, because artisans made this container with outer and inner walls, between which they left a narrow insulating layer.
The inner part of the tues held the liquid. Two layers of birch bark were always folded with the white side of the bark inward, the “wrong”, darker side always remaining outside. The birch bark tues was assembled without nails, glue or any other fasteners. The edges could be reinforced with a pine root, which was inserted between the walls.
To make a tues, artisans used “skoloten” — birch bark, which was removed from the birch trunk as one piece. They harvested skoloten at certain special times of the year. For this, experience was needed so as not to harm the tree.
Birch bark tues boxes were used not only for liquids, but also for storing small items or food, such as salt, pickles, milk, butter, sour cream and cottage cheese. Sometimes these boxes were used to pick berries.
The fact is that people noticed: in birch bark boxes perishable products could be stored longer than usual. Salt did not absorb moisture, pickled mushrooms and cucumbers acquired a special aroma, butter did not become bitter, and milk and cottage cheese did not become sour.
Tues boxes were used to keep water, kvass and other drinks cool on a hot day, while hot broths, on the contrary, did not cool down for a long time. The boxes were usually decorated with traditional patterns and served their owners for a very long time.
In the modern Komi language, the word “toy” has fallen out of use, only the words “tuyis”, “tuesok” have survived, which, as researchers suggest, are a reverse borrowing from northern Russian dialects.
The tues is striking in the simplicity of its design. It resembles a vacuum flask, because artisans made this container with outer and inner walls, between which they left a narrow insulating layer.
The inner part of the tues held the liquid. Two layers of birch bark were always folded with the white side of the bark inward, the “wrong”, darker side always remaining outside. The birch bark tues was assembled without nails, glue or any other fasteners. The edges could be reinforced with a pine root, which was inserted between the walls.
To make a tues, artisans used “skoloten” — birch bark, which was removed from the birch trunk as one piece. They harvested skoloten at certain special times of the year. For this, experience was needed so as not to harm the tree.
Birch bark tues boxes were used not only for liquids, but also for storing small items or food, such as salt, pickles, milk, butter, sour cream and cottage cheese. Sometimes these boxes were used to pick berries.
The fact is that people noticed: in birch bark boxes perishable products could be stored longer than usual. Salt did not absorb moisture, pickled mushrooms and cucumbers acquired a special aroma, butter did not become bitter, and milk and cottage cheese did not become sour.
Tues boxes were used to keep water, kvass and other drinks cool on a hot day, while hot broths, on the contrary, did not cool down for a long time. The boxes were usually decorated with traditional patterns and served their owners for a very long time.
