Saukele (Kazakh: saukele, Kyrgyz: shokul) — a high cone-shaped headdress, about 70 centimeters high, decorated with silver and gold coins, pearls and corals, one of the ancient headdresses that existed among the Kazakhs until the end of the 19th century.
Wedding headdress is worn only in the first time after marriage, about year, and then based and put on the only on big festivities, and the in continuation of four or five years. A year after marriage, women begin to wear a simple, practical and comfortable headdress — "zhelek". This is a simplified saukele, it has a solid frame in the form of a truncated cone, which is sheathed with glaze or wrapped with foil, decorated with pendants of gold and silver plaques with gem inserts. After the birth of children, a young woman goes to the third type of headdress — "kimeshek". It is usually worn at the age of 25-45 years. It is sewn from white fabric, often embroidered with satin stitch[1].
Saukele consists of two parts: Sau (whole, whole) and Kele (top, tower). Frame saukele made of thick white felt, covered with velvet, silk, satin or velour. Poor sewed it from cloth or satin, decorated with glass beads . The rich embroidered the headdress with jewels — rubies, pearls, corals.
Saukele was decorated with fringe, ornaments were made of various small gold and silver coins and figured plates, which served as a frame for precious and semiprecious stones — carnelian, turquoise, amethyst. Rich brides could afford saukele with two richly decorated wide plates.
The top of the saukele invariably crowned > uky — a furry bundle of eagle feathers. The edges of the cap were decorated with mink, sable or Fox fur. A mandatory addition to the saukele were long pendants — zhaktau, attached to it from the sides, reaching the waist or below. Then on the bride's robe at chest level sewed special velvet pockets, which hid the heavy ends of the jacket, so that the threads are not broken under the weight of jewelry. The number and length of zhaktau depended on the property status of the bride's parents. Pendants could be made of coral, turquoise, silver and gold plates, pearls, silk tassels. To the sides of the saukele were forced to wear headphones that were trimmed with fur, braid, decorated with beads, corals and silver. Also, in addition to the pendants, added temporal — shekelik — in the form of a triangle or petal.
On top of saukele covered with silk or velvet scarves. Patterns on scarves and ribbons were embroidered with iris — thick twisted colorful threads. The center and edges of the shawls were often trimmed with "plait embroidery" and sewing nets. Gold, silver and bronze pendants and plaques for saukele were made by jewelers who used casting, embossing, stamping, filigree, etc.
The handkerchief could fall on his back, to saukele also fastened a large white veil — zhelek. It wrapped the figure and face of the girl during the performance of the ritual song betashar[2]. [[Category:Headgear]]