The Tsegdeg Dress of Kalmyk and Oirat Women: Semantics of Its Fashion and Decorative Elements (Ancient Signs in the Semiotic System of the Garment)

Abstract

The article analyzes the symbolism of belt decorative elements and peculiarities of fashion typical for the tsegdeg sleeveless dress that had once been a compulsory garment of married women in the culture of Western Mongols (Oirats) and Kalmyks, as well as among some other Turco-Mongols. The semantics of tsegdeg is considered as a multilayer one. First of all, it manifests itself in the garment's cutout which semantically denoted a fertile woman. At the same time, the garment was supposed to act as a limiting symbol which is evident from its fashion, decorative parts (wide strips comprising both passementaries and zeg rainbow color tread embroideries), and the fact it was to be worn with a terlg underwear dress. The semantics of belt decorative elements of tsegdeg among the Oirats and Kalmyks, such as valves and loops called bel, is - in the author’s opinion - connected with childbearing as the main function of the woman. The bel loop or a part of the decorative element that acts as the former can be semantically compared to a hole, slit, or passage. The custom of tying kerchiefs (white or sole-colored ones) to bels indicates that here a kerchief symbolizes a ‘container’, ‘womb’ which is illustrated by registered beliefs of Western Buryats - kin people of Oirats and Kalmyks - that kerchiefs provide connection with ancestors and traditions. The paper also concludes the word stems from the term with the meaning of ‘limiting’ (from the Mong. *čege + affix -dg denoting a recurring action), and is related to the Kalmyk custom of putting a special bridle on a killed swan, while Turkic peoples of South Siberia in similar situations dress the bird in chegedeg - a sleeveless garment.