On the spike were fifteen birds made of gold foil.

The birds, Polosmak has noted, are characteristic of the kind of golden adornment associated with elite Pazyryk women — small, lightweight goldwork that could be worn in the hair or on the headdress.

The height of the headdress is significant both practically and symbolically.

Practically, it made the wearer literally taller — visible above a crowd, dominant in a gathering.

Symbolically, the upward direction of the spike and the birds at its apex may connect to beliefs about the sky, about birds as spiritual messengers, about the upward direction as associated with spiritual power.

High headdresses in various ancient cultures of the Eurasian steppe and Central Asia are documented in both physical remains and artistic representations.