Teleuts are a Turkic-speaking people of Siberia, close in origin and culture to the Altaians, Telengits and Khakass. They live mainly in the Kemerovo region, as well as in the Altai Republic and Altai Krai. In 1989, the ethnic status of Teleuts was recognized and included in the list of small indigenous peoples of the North.

In the culture of many peoples of the world, including the Teleuts, there were many beliefs related to hair. Hair was believed to be the abode of the spirits or life itself. That is why it was to be carefully tended to, decorated in every possible way, and intricately braided. To prevent evil spirits from harming a person, people tried not to throw away hair, but burn it. According to a popular superstition, if a person steps on the dumped hair or a bird carries it away in its beak, the owner of the hair will get headaches.

Braids were the basis of the hairstyles worn by the indigenous inhabitants of Altai. Their number and arrangement could tell the social status of a woman. Widows combined two braids into one; sometimes each braid was attached to the shoulder of a chegedek — a sleeveless open garment of a married woman in South Siberia. They were supposed to wear braids only on the back and with no jewelry. Married women wore two braids, which were thrown over to the chest when meeting guests. Maidens wore several braids.

In many cultures, women wore various plait ornaments, which were considered to be some kind of amulets as well as decorative elements of girls’ and women’s hairstyles.

The ornament from the museum’s collection consists of a fastener and a pendant. The latter was made in the form of three bundles of horsehair, the upper part of which was fixed with red thread, and the lower part was made of many thin twisted cords, ending with cowrie shells as decorations. According to popular belief, the sound of the rattling shells and the tinkling of bells scared away evil spirits.

This plait ornament was made by hand in the first half of the 20th century in Altai Krai.

Such items were sometimes supplemented with glass, plastic and amber beads, metal buttons, plaques and other elements. On top of the finished hairstyle, Teleut women traditionally wore a shawl.