The chest was a characteristic object of Old Russian everyday life. Each girl, each bride in the family had her own chest with her own goods. Divisions of the family, marriage, the accumulation of property–in all of these cases, it was necessary to buy a new chest. It was an almost integral part of a bride’s dowry. The wealth of the family was measured by the number of chests. Even today, in rural areas, chests of various forms and sizes are prevalent and necessary furniture.
