Cheres (belt)

Cheres (from the Proto-Slavic *čersъ < *kertso-) is a male leather belt, common in the mountainous regions of the Carpathians among the peoples living there: Ukrainians (Hutsuls), Rusyns, Romanians, Hungarians, Slovaks and Poles (Gurals).

It has various sizes: from one or two to six buckles fastening the same number of belts sewn together. The widest belts (up to 30 cm) are worn in northern Romania (Maramures, Oash), eastern Slovakia and southern Poland (Podhale). Cheres is made from a whole piece of cowhide or cowhide, folded in half so that the fold is at the bottom, and the belt is sewn on top, except for gaps where pockets are provided. Cheres is decorated with plaques made of copper and other metal, metal buttons, chains, weaving from colored leather ribbons, embossing, etc. On the right side is a wallet for money and smoking accessories. A knife and a metal hatchet - a bartka - are suspended from the cheres.

Cheres is still used in everyday life in Poland, Romania and Western Ukraine as work clothes, and is also an integral attribute of the folk costumes of the Carpathian peoples. It does not support the pants like a normal belt, but it protects the body from injury, is waterproof, and keeps you warm in cool weather.