Portable, round tent covered with skins or felt
Traditional home
Building process of Mongol Ger
Ancient Mongol Ger
A traditional
Kyrgyz
yurt
A
Karakalpak
bentwood type "yourte" in
Khwarezm
(or
Karakalpakstan
), Uzbekistan
Turkmen woman at the entrance to a yurt in
Turkestan
; 1913 picture by
Prokudin-Gorsky
A
yurt
(from the
Turkic languages
) or
ger
(
Mongolian
) is a portable, round
tent
covered and
insulated
with skins or
felt
and traditionally used as a dwelling by several distinct
nomadic groups
in the
steppes
and
mountains
of
Inner Asia
.
[1]
The structure consists of a flexible angled assembly or latticework of wood or
bamboo
for walls, a door frame, ribs (poles, rafters), and a wheel (crown, compression ring) possibly steam-bent as a roof. The roof structure is sometimes self-supporting, but large yurts may have interior posts supporting the crown. The top of the wall of self-supporting yurts is prevented from spreading by means of a tension band which opposes the force of the roof ribs. Yurts take between 30 minutes and 3 hours to set up or take down, and are generally used by between five and 15 people. Nomadic farming with yurts as housing has been the primary life style in Central Asia, particularly
Mongolia
, for thousands of years.
Modern yurts may be permanently built on a wooden or concrete platform; they may use modern materials such as metal framing, plastics, plexiglass dome, or
radiant insulation
.
Etymology and translations
[
edit
]
Yurt of
Kazakhs
in the
Tian Shan
, 200 km northeast of
Urumqi
at 2100 m a.s.l., August 1991
Old Turkic
yurt
"tent, dwelling, abode, range" may have been derived from the Old Turkic word ur - verb with the suffix +Ut.
[2]
In modern Turkish and Uzbek, the word "yurt" is used as the synonym of "homeland" or a "dormitory", while in modern Azerbaijani, "yurd" mainly signifies "homeland" or "motherland". In Russian, the structure is called "yurta" (юрта), whence the word came into English.
Translations
[
edit
]
- alacıq
/
alacık
/
alasıq
? in use in Azerbaijani, Turkish and Bashkir languages.
- гэр
(transliterated: ger,
[???r]
) ? in
Mongolian
simply means "cover, shell and home".
[3]
- тирм?
(transliterated:
tirma
) is the
Bashkir
term for yurt.
- ки?з ?й
(transliterated:
kiız ui
,
[k?j?z
?j]
) ? the Kazakh word, and means "felt house".
- боз ?й
(transliterated:
boz uy
,
[b?z
yj]
) ? the Kyrgyz term meaning "grey house", because of the color of the felt.
- ak oy
(
[?q
œj]
, "white house") and
gara oy
(
[?????
œj]
, "black house") ? in the
Turkmen language
, which term is used depends on its luxury and elegance.
- qara u'y
(
IPA:
[q?r??
?j]
) and
otaw
(
[u?t??w]
) ? in
Karakalpak
the first term means "black house", while the second means "a newborn family" and is used only to name a young family's yurt.
- In
Hungarian
yurt is called "
jurta
". Besides the more scientific modern-era word "
jurta
", Hungarians in everyday life still use "
sator
" for all tent-like dwellings, which could be the original word Hungarians used for yurts in historic times.
- In
Bulgarian
yurt is called "юрта" (yurta).
- "Kherga"/"
Jirga
" ?
Afghans
call them.
- "Khema" (
????
/?????) in
Hindustani
is the word for a yurt or a tent-like dwelling in
India
and
Pakistan
, from the
Arabic
:
???????
- In
Persian
yurt is called
????
(chador)
- In
Tajik
the names are "yurt", "khona-i siyoh", "khayma" (юрт, хонаи сиё?, хайма).
- ?г
(
og
,
Tuvan pronunciation:
[œ?]
) is the
Tuvan
word for yurt.
- кереге (
kerege
, /
ke?e?e
/) is the
Southern Altai
word for a yurt made from felt.
- A
Yaranga
is a tent-like traditional mobile home of some nomadic Northern indigenous peoples of Russia, such as Chukchi and Siberian Yupik.
History
[
edit
]
Yurts have been a distinctive feature of life in Central Asia for at least two and a half thousand years. The first written description of a yurt used as a dwelling was recorded by the
ancient Greek
historian
Herodotus
. He described yurt-like tents as the dwelling place of the
Scythians
, a horse riding-nomadic nation who lived in the northern Black Sea and Central Asian region from around 600 BC to AD 300.
[4]
Yurts beyond Central Asia
[
edit
]
As popularity grew, it extended beyond Central Asia. In the 13th century, during the height of the
Mongol Empire
, yurts were introduced to parts of Europe and the Middle East.
Marco Polo
's writings even mentioned the use of yurts in the court of
Kublai Khan
. In more recent history, yurts have gained attention in the West for their unique aesthetics and practicality.
[5]
Construction
[
edit
]
Traditional yurts on the steppes between Ulaanbaatar and Kharkhorin.
Yurts in eastern Afghanistan
Kyrgyz yurts,
Kizilsu Kirghiz Autonomous Prefecture
, Xinjiang, China
Traditional yurts consist of an expanding wooden circular frame carrying a felt cover. The
felt
is made from the wool of the flocks of sheep that accompany the
pastoralists
. The
timber
to make the external structure is not to be found on the treeless
steppes
, and must be obtained by trade in the valleys below.
[
citation needed
]
The frame consists of one or more expanding
lattice
wall-sections, a door frame, bent roof poles, and a crown. The Mongolian ger has one or more columns to support the crown and straight roof poles. The (self-supporting) wood frame is covered with pieces of felt. Depending on availability, felt is additionally covered with canvas and/or sun covers. The frame is held together with one or more ropes or ribbons. The structure is kept under compression by the weight of the covers, sometimes supplemented by a heavy weight hung from the center of the roof. They vary in size and relative weight. They provide a large amount of insulation and protection from the outside cold of winters, and they are easily changed to keep the yurts cool for summertime.
[6]
A yurt is designed to be dismantled and the parts are carried compactly on
camels
or
yaks
to be rebuilt on another site. Complete construction takes around 2 hours.
[7]
-
Pitching a yurt: starting with walls and door
-
Placing of roof construction
-
Roof construction in place with roof slopes
-
Placing the thin undercover on the roof slopes
-
Felt cover in place
-
Placing the outer cover
-
Last step: adding ropes
-
A ger sits on the steppes near Mandalgovi
Insulation and decoration, symbolism
[
edit
]
The traditional insulation and decoration within a yurt primarily consists of pattern-based woollen felted rugs. These patterns are generally not according to taste, but are derived from sacred ornaments with certain symbolism. Symbols representing strength are, for instance, the temdeg or khas (
swastika
), the four powerful beasts (
lion
,
tiger
,
garuda
? a kind of
avian
, and
dragon
), as well as stylized representations of the
four elements
(fire, water, earth, and air), considered to be the fundamental, unchanging elements of the cosmos. Such patterns are commonly used in the home with the belief that they will bring strength and offer protection.
[
citation needed
]
Repeating geometric patterns are also widely used, like the continuous hammer or walking pattern (alkhan khee). Commonly used as a border decoration, it represents unending strength and constant movement. Another common pattern is the ulzii, a symbol of long life and happiness. The khamar ugalz (nose pattern) and ever ugalz (horn pattern) are derived from the shape of the animal's nose and horns, and are the oldest traditional patterns. All patterns can be found among not only the yurts themselves, but also on embroidery, furniture, books, clothing, doors, and other objects.
[8]
In Kyrgyz felted rug manufacturing the most common patterns are the Ala kiyiz and Shyrdak. Ornaments are visualising good wishes or blessings of the makers to a daughter who gets married, to children, or grandchildren.
[9]
In Central Asia
[
edit
]
Roof crown of Kyrgyz yurt,
Tengri
symbol, used in
Kyrgyzstan
flag
Ak Oyi (White Building), yurt shaped concrete building, "The World's Largest Yurt", near
Mary, Turkmenistan
, established 2015
The
shangyrak
or wooden crown of the yurt (
Mongolian
:
тооно
,
[t?ːn]
;
Kazakh
:
ша?ыра?
,
romanized:
Shanıraq
[???????q]
;
Kyrgyz
:
т?нд?к
[tyndyk]
;
Turkmen
:
tuynuk
) is itself emblematic in many Central Asian cultures. In old
Kazakh
communities, the yurt itself would often be repaired and rebuilt, but the shangyrak would remain intact, passed from father to son upon the father's death. A family's length of heritage could be measured by the accumulation of stains on the shangyrak from decades of smoke passing through it. A stylized version of the crown is in the center of the
coat of arms of Kazakhstan
, and forms the main image on the
flag of Kyrgyzstan
.
[
citation needed
]
Today a yurt is seen as a national symbol among many Central Asian groups, and as such, yurts may be used as cafes (especially those specializing in traditional food), museums (especially those relating to national culture), and souvenir shops. In celebration of the city of Mary's year as Cultural Capital of the
Turkic World
, the government of Turkmenistan constructed a yurt-shaped structure, called Ak Oyi (White Building) and described as "The World's Largest Yurt", of concrete, granite, aluminum, and glass. Established on November 27, 2015, the structure is 35 meters high and 70 meters in diameter. According to the
Turkmenistan
state news agency, "A white yurt is a symbol of an age-old, distinctive historical-cultural legacy, a sign of preservation of our roots and origins." This three-story structure includes a cafe, offices, and VIP apartments ,as well as a large auditorium with 3,000 seats.
[10]
[11]
Buddhism in Mongolia
[
edit
]
Buddhist symbols: dharmachakra, represented by the
khorlo
(Tib: ????????) toono;
khadag
(Tib: ???????) hangs from the toono and
dpaljibeu
(Tib: ????????????) is present on the stove.
The design of the Mongolian ger developed from its ancient simple forms to actively integrate with Buddhist culture. The crown?toono adopted the shape of Dharmachakra. The earlier style of toono, nowadays more readily found in Central Asian yurts, is called in Mongolia "sarkhinag toono," while the toono representing Buddhist dharmachakra is called "
khorlo
" (Tibetan ????????) toono. Also the shapes, colors, and ornaments of the wooden elements?toono, pillars, and poles of the Mongolian yurt?are in accord with the artistic style found in Buddhist monasteries in Mongolia. Such yurts are called "uyangiin ger", literally meaning "home of lyrics" or "home of melodies".
[
citation needed
]
Westernization
[
edit
]
A yurt-derived structure in the
Colorado mountains, USA
Enthusiasts in other countries have adapted the visual idea of the yurt, a round, semi-permanent tent. Although those structures may be copied to some extent from the originals found in Central Asia, they often have some different features in their design to adapt them to different climate and uses.
In
Canada
and the
United States
, yurts are often made using
hi-tech
materials. They can be highly engineered and built for
extreme weather
conditions. In addition, erecting one can take days and it may not be intended to be frequently moved. Such North American yurts are better thought of as yurt derivations, as they are no longer round felt homes that are easy to mount, dismount, and transport. North American yurts and yurt derivations were pioneered by
William Coperthwaite
in the 1960s, after he was inspired to build them by a
National Geographic
article about
Supreme Court Justice
William O. Douglas
's visit to Mongolia.
[12]
An American yurt with a deck. Permanently located in
Kelleys Island State Park
In 1978, American company Pacific Yurts became the first to manufacture yurts using architectural fabrics and structural engineering, paving the way for yurts to become popular attractions at ski resorts and campgrounds. Yurts are also popular in Northern Canada. In 1993, Oregon became the first state to incorporate yurts into its Parks Department as year-round camping facilities. Since then, at least 17 other US States have introduced yurt camping into their own parks departments.
[13]
In
Europe
, a closer approximation to the Mongolian and Central Asian yurt is in production in several countries. These tents use local
hardwood
, and often are made for a wetter climate with steeper
roof
profiles and
waterproof
canvas. In essence they are yurts, but some lack the felt cover and ornate features across the exterior that is present in traditional yurt. There are UK-made yurts that feature a metal frame in use in at least two
glamping
sites in
Somerset
and
Dorset
.
[14]
[15]
[16]
The
palloza
is a traditional building found in the
Serra dos Ancares
in
Galicia
(NW Spain). Pallozas have stone walls and a conical roof made of stalks of
rye
.
[17]
Different groups and individuals use yurts for a variety of purposes, from full-time housing to school rooms. In some provincial parks in Canada, and state parks in several US states, permanent yurts are available for
camping
.
[18]
Since the late 1920s the German youth and
Scouting
movements have adapted a variant of the yurt and the Sami
Lavvu
(
Kohte
), calling them
Schwarzzelt
(black tent), a term mainly used for tents from North Africa.
See also
[
edit
]
Yurts in the tourist camp, Mongolia
References
[
edit
]
External links
[
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]
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Traditional immobile
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Traditional mobile
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Open-air
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Modern
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Related topics
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Tents
and overnight shelters
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Traditional
types
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Modern types
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Equipment
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