Experts believe that “beldemshe” in translation means: “bel” – lumbar spine, “dem” – rest, “emshe/emshi” – healer, which means to give rest to the lumbar spine and to heal. Beldemshe is a slit skirt decorated with embroidery. It could be a parade dress or a day dress, but was invariably worn only by married women over the dress. The ceremonial dress was sewn from expensive velvet, which was usually red or maroon and corresponded to the ideas of vitality, female power, health, fertility, etc. In turn, the beldemshe ornament, which possessed magical powers, reinforced the sacral function of the skirt as a kind of protective circle.
According to tradition, the beldemshe was made by a woman’s mother, and from its ornamentation it was possible to determine the family, social status and approximate age of the owner. For the first time, the beldemshe was worn by a woman who had given birth to three children, and the event was accompanied by a ritual meal. The invitees brought gifts and conveyed good wishes. If in the case of the kimeshek the ritual meal was performed at the insistence of the mother-in-law, the first donning of the beldemshe was done by the owner herself. This underscores the woman’s new status as a full-fledged mistress.
