In Old Russia from the 15th to the 18th centuries, there was a special category of elected officials – the ‘tselovalniki’ (‘kissers’; from the word ‘tselovat’ or ‘to kiss’). They got their name from the oath-taking ceremony: upon taking office, a person would swear an oath on the cross and kiss it as a sign of sincerity. Customs ‘tselovalniki’ collected trade duties. Tavern ‘tselovalniki’ sold alcohol in taverns and monitored alcohol sales; when sworn in, they swore never to dilute vodka. Only the tavern ‘tselovalniki’ remained, but even they were soon replaced by merchants’ hired employees.