|
Mongolian national Ger or yurt
The development history of Mongolian Ger [gerr] has been known for 2500-3000 years by the nomads of Central Asia and the gers used in 13th century, with its structure and characteristics are similar to a nowadays’ ger. The unique design, structure and practical features, the ger is still a popular habitation in Mongolia, even in the capital city of Ulaanbaatar, and high percentage of the Mongolian population retains a nomadic lifestyle and gers can be seen throughout the country, whether on the steppes, the Gobi Desert, or the mountainous regions in Central and Western Mongolia. Mongolian gers are attracting interest from people in many parts of the world as an ecologically friendly and attractive living space that can be used for a variety of purposes.
Gers are designed to be easy to take apart, transport, and reconstruct. Despite this portability, they are warm enough to keep the coldest winter temperatures and strong enough to withstand strong winds and the demands of a whole family.
The ger is a circular structure built using a wooden, accordion frame that can be easily taken down, made compact for carrying, and reassembled. On this frame are placed three to four layers of felt, traditionally made from sheep’s wool, and an outer layer of waterproof canvas. The felt and canvas are secured to the wooden frame and the resulting structure can stand securely in one place for months or even years at a time.
The wooden frame of the ger is held together by opposing stresses designed into the structure and by horse, yak and camel hair straps. A central column holds up the struts of the roof, which fan out from an opening that accommodates a stove pipe and can be opened up to the elements on a warm day or covered in the event of rain or cold temperatures. The lower sides of the outer wrapping of the yurt can also be raised to allow air to circulate freely to cool the interior on warm days.
The ger size depends on the number of wall segments (khana) and there are 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12 wall segments and gers with more than 10 wall segments can be made to order and the average number of wall segments is 4-5 by today’s live hood.
There is a tradition in Mongolian custom, when you enter into the ger usually; guests sit on the right side of the ger and a man of household sits on north side and housewife with children sit on the left side of the ger, only by man’s permission a high respected guest might sit next to a man (the right-north side of ger which means “respected spot”).
|
