Yurt

A Yurt is a portable felt dwelling structure used traditionally by nomads in the steppes of Central Asia.

Uzbek woman at the entrance to a yurt in Turkestan; 1913 picture by Prokudin-Gorskii.

Contents

1 The Name \"Yurt\"
2 Construction
3 Symbolism
4 Modern Yurts
5 See also
6 External links and references

The Name \"Yurt\"

The word yurt (or yurta, e.g., in Russian) is originally from the Turkic word meaning "dwelling place" in the sense of "homeland"; the term came to be used in reference to the physical structures only in other languages, such as Russian and English. In Kazakh the term for the structure is kiyiz üy (киіз үй—lit. "felt home") and in Mongolian they're called gers (гэр). In Russian, a yurt is called "yurta" (юрта), and there is an obsolete term "kibitka" (кибитка). Afghans call them "Kherga" or "ooee". In classic forms of the Gaelic, a yurt is called an "elaine" or, in the common dialectic, a "higgins".

Construction

Wooden poles or uuks in Kyrgyz connect the lattice-work walls on the bottom of the yurt to the crown or shangrak (the hole in the middle of the tent for the smoke to escape and light to enter). This wood frame (kerege) is then covered with felt and then sometimes with canvas.

Symbolism

The crown itself is emblematic in many Central Asian cultures. In old Kazakh communities, the yurt itself would often be repaired and rebuilt, but the shangrak would remain intact, passed from father to son upon the father's death. A family's depth of heritage could be measured by the accumulation of stains on the shangrak from generations of smoke passing through it. A stylized version of the shangrak forms the main image on the flag of Kyrgyzstan. Its cultural iconography is also represented in the tubeteika, a traditional Central Asian skullcap which bears a resemblance to the yurt.

Modern Yurts

Many modern enthusiasts, mostly based in the U.S., have used the name "yurts" for some of their round huts as well. Although those structures may be copied to some extent from the originals found in Central Asia, they have been greatly changed and adapted and are in most cases very different.

In the United States and Canada, yurts are made using hi-tech materials. They are highly engineered and built for extreme weather conditions. In addition, erecting one can take days and they are not intended to be moved often. Often the designs of these U.S. yurts hardly resemble the original designs and are better named modern yurts or yurt derivations as strictly speaking they are no longer round felt homes that are easy to mount, dismount and transport.

In Europe, most yurt makers are making adaptations of Mongolian and Central Asian styled yurts from local hardwoods. These yurts may have been adapted for a wetter climate with steeper roof profiles and waterproof canvas. In essence they are yurts but many lack the felt cover that is present in traditional yurt.

Unlike the ones made by many U.S. manufacturers, these yurts are very similar to those found in Central Asia. In Holland, one yurt maker makes exact replicas of Mongolian Gers. Froit has studied yurt making in Mongolia and recently published a book about Ger making, The Real Mongol Ger Book.

Different groups and individuals use yurts for a variety of purposes, from full-time housing to school rooms. In some provincial parks in Ontario, yurts are available for camping. Image:FinishedYurt.jpg |Modern Yurt in the Colorado mountains - The Colorado Yurt Company Image:Yurt in Tos Bulak.jpg|Yurt at the Naadym festival at Tos-Bulak Image:Disassembled_yurt_in_Tos_Bulak.jpg|The same Yurt disassembled, with the furnitured interior visible Image:MongolianGer.jpg|a Mongolian Ger in Las Alpujarras, Spain

External links and references

[yurtinfo.org - A comprehensive resource for yurts and related structures]
[The Yurt Workshop - Makers of fine felted ger]
[Ulaan Taij] Authentic Mongolian yurts (gers) History, purchase and more
[Pacific Yurts. Original Manufacturer of the Modern Yurt.]
[The Colorado Yurt Company - Makers of High Quality Modern Yurts Since 1977]
[Yurt FAQ]
[Kazakh Yurta]
[Mongolian Yurt Association]
[The Mongolian Yurt]
[How to build a yurt]
[Housing, Dwellings & Shelters: Yurt Notes & Calculator], yurt building resources, how-to manuals and online calculator
["Town casts wary eye on yurts"], Deseret News, 17 July 2006.

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