Dornod /MONTSAME/. The Museum of Dornod aimag is the only museum that keeps the deel worn by uzemchin wives (ethnic group in the eastern region) along with its full set of accessories. Despite using core traditional clothes and accessories, the garments worn by the ethnic group differ in their craftsmanship methods. 

Up to the age of 14, girls wear deels with wide hems, and braid their hair in two parts, with accessories such as black lace with coral, pearl, and turquoise at the end of their hair. As for when they become of age, they braid their hair and wear a hair accessory called toiv. They also wear their deel with pearl datuur.

Once they marry into a family, they begin to wear ‘turiin tavan umsgul’ (lit. five garments of the state) on top of the pearl datuur and a religious pendant  that they were previously using. The turiin tavan umsgul includes the khatan suikh, ‘turiin uuj’ (lit. the state’s uuj, traditional long sleeveless garment worn over deel), hat with tassels, and a hair accessory called shirguul. 

Traditional deel worn by uzemchin wives

As uzemchin wives wear uuj on top of their feels throughout the year, they make their feels with a single color fabric, with green, pink, dark red, and beige being popular colors. Depending on the season, various types of deels are worn throughout the year. 

For special occasions, sleeves are made with a patterned fabric, with two-colored decorative fabric for the hem. 

Khatan suikh

Despite there being two types of suikh: one for special occasions and the other for day-to-day use, their base designs are the same. The ornamental suikh is generally intricately made of silver with gold coating and has large corals embedded.

On a cotton band, the suikh is worn on the head with 3-5 dangling pieces made with various precious stones such as coral, turquoise, and lapis lazuli.

Turiin uuj 

As households were considered as a unit of the state, the uuj worn by the housewife were referred to as the turiin uuj. They are worn on top of the deel. Made with black or dark blue fabric, various decorative silk are used for its hem. Its lower flap has four sections. 

Coral headgear

Coral datuur (headgear) is a small coral accessory attached to a circular shaped fabric worn on the head. At the top, there are circular ugalz (horn) patterns with coral and turquoise embedded. 

Shirguul

Uzemchin wives tie up their hair after braiding them in two parts. They put their hair in shirguul, and hang them down. 

Religious pendant

Throughout the years, the copper or brass pendants with deities that were worn as a part of ancient traditions eventually became a type of accessory, serving as not only a religious item but also as a necklace for women.

Aside from putting a deity inside the pendant, items that they hold dear such as the dirt or rock from one’s birthplace, or a fragrant plant were stored.

Hat

Newlywed women wore a type of hat named ‘jalaat’, which has a circular cap, clasp decorated with pearls, and a pair of bands at the back. The cap is covered with black velvet, and two golden dragons are sewn into it. The hat is worn by young wives for special occasions.