Gazyr or why do the Cossacks need breast pockets

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

Special pockets on the chest were a distinctive element of the national costume of many Caucasian peoples, as well as the Cossacks. What did they store there?

Representative of the Laks, an indigenous people of the North Caucasus (mainly Dagestan)

In Soviet times, in popular culture, these small pockets were associated, of course, with Goonies from the "Caucasian Captive". In the comedy, there is a famous episode in a restaurant where the characters discuss the kidnapping of the bride. Goofball performed by Yuri Nikulin takes out a cigarette and something like a cigarette lighter from the stripes of his pseudo-Caucasian outfit.

Yuri Nikulin as Goonies - Leonid Gaidai / Mosfilm, 1967

In fact, this element of the suit is called "gazyri". They were sewn onto the chest by many Caucasian peoples - from Georgians, Chechens and Ossetians to Kabardins and Adyghes. For the first time, Russians saw such a costume on the Circassians, therefore, historically, it so happened that a caftan with such stripes is called "Circassian" in Russian.

Left - Circassian, right - Kabardian - Grigory Gagarin

Gazyrs appeared on Circassians in the 18th century, with the advent of firearms. In small holes intercepted by cloth or leather, bullets and the required amount of gunpowder were placed. It was essentially a bandolier. Such a device did not allow the powder to get wet.

Leaders of the Mountain Republic (between 1917-1920) - Public domain

In the compartments closer to the armpits, chips were stored to ignite the projectile, and later a special device - the capsule. There could be from four to 18 gazyrs on each side. By the way, initially they were not sewn on the chest - there were special gas bags that were worn over the shoulder or fastened to the belt.

Gazyrnitsa, XIX century

Many Caucasians fought on horseback, so the main functional feature of gazyrs was that they allowed you to load a gun right at a gallop.

A man in a Circassian coat with gasses demonstrates a horse he wants to sell, 1900s

In the 19th century, the Russian Empire began to conquer the territories of the Caucasus and the mounted Cossack troops adopted many elements of Caucasian clothing - fur hats, fur hats, cloaks, curved sabers, as well as Circassians with gazyry.

Cossack of the imperial convoy, 1910-13 - Pyotr Vedenisov / Archive of Alexander Nikolaevich Odinokov / russiainphoto.ru

The gazyrs with silver knobs were considered a special luxury. By the way, Nicholas II also liked to show off in a Circassian coat with gazyry, but in his costume it was an exclusively decorative detail.

Nicholas II in the uniform of His Majesty's Life Guards Hussar Regiment

The most famous Cossack and owner of gazyrs (after Goonies) was Baron Wrangel, general of the tsarist army, and then one of the leaders of the anti-Bolshevik White movement, in which the Cossacks played an important role.

Wrangel's everyday military uniform was a black caftan with gasses sewn onto it. For a specific outfit, he was even nicknamed the black baron. He also had a white, full dress uniform with gas.

Peter Wrangel

The Cossacks also served the Soviet regime, and the latter respected the now traditional form - at the Victory Parade in 1945, both gazyrs and orders flaunted on the chest of the Cossacks.

Kuban Cossacks at the Victory Parade on Red Square on June 24, 1945 in 1936 uniform - Alexander Kiyan (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Nowadays, a Circassian with gazyry can often be seen at the performers of folk dances.

Folk Song and Dance Ensemble of Abkhazia - Tomas Tkhaytsuk / Sputnik