The Avar female jewelry was legendary. Its heaviness, rich design, and intricate craftsmanship caused general wonder. Evgeny Shilling, poet and ethnographer wrote that from her forehead to the hem of her tunic the 19th century Avar bride looked like ‘one solid piece of sophisticated silver jingling and swaying when she moved’. 

Girls usually wore several such ornaments together fixed in front and on the sides of their costumes with one more secured on the backside. The ornaments were fixed to the dress — gorde- specially made for the occasion with the help of small hooks. The silk dress was cut as a tunic worn over pants. The garments were richly embroidered with gold and multiple silver pendants.

The “koots” and sewn-on ornaments often fully concealed the figure making it appear heavy and flat. To conceal means to protect — that was the main purpose of such attire. The common belief held that the girl was especially vulnerable in that moment of her life, hence, each ornament served as a protective charm against specific misfortune.

The Dagestan Museum exhibits several variations of such decorative items. The “koots” was fully made from silver and measured up to 70 cm in length. The ornament represented a composition of multiple elements flanking the central medallion with a colored gemstone (usually, turquoise) in it. Various buttons, coins, and chains were used as decorative elements. The adornments occasionally contained precious and semiprecious gemstones. The key thing was to keep the dimensions. The decoration style was largely determined by individual tastes of craftsmen or clients.