The Mongolian yurt is a light and practical construction, which is easy to rebuild at any place, any time and thus, well suited for nomadic life.
The big tent of nomadic herders is said "gher" in Mongolian. The description given in the XIII century by papal envoy Jean Plan Carpin remains, from a few details, very contemporary: "They have round dwellings, mounted as tents with stakes and poles. These dwellings have at the top and in the middle a round hole, where light comes through in and it allows the smoke to get out, because the fire is always set in the middle. The walls and roof are lined with felt. Some dwellings are large and others small, depending on social conditions of people, high or more humble. Some would be dismantled and mounted quickly, and they would be carried on beasts of burden; (...). Wherever they go, to war or elsewhere, they bring these dwellings with them. "
In the mid of 19th century, the father Lazarists Huc provides further details, always actual, on the interior: "Inside the tent is as divided into two parts: The left side, at the entrance is reserved for men. It is there that foreigners should go. A man who goes through the right side, is committing more than a gross impropriety. The line is occupied by women, and that is where all household utensils are stocked (...). Many of goat horns, attached to the roof of the tent, complete furnishing of the Mongolian home: this is where suspended quarts (1/4 I mean-Gerel) of beef or mutton, bladders filled with butter; arrows, bows and a rifle wicks, because there are almost no Tatars families who have at least one firearm (...)".
An old book tells that Mongolian yurt consisted of four walls and 60 pickets which mean about 4 m in diameter. The door is always oriented towards the south, where it represents the universe. The north is reserved for Buddhist or shamanistic gods and for guests; women and children are placed in the east, and the man with his equestrian and hunting equipment, is in the west.
The yurt, the sun, 60 poles spaced with about 6 degrees each to other. Another presentation to indicate the passage of time! ...
The first pole on the door, right was named "Year of the Horse." The central stick in the north was called "Year of the Mouse." From there, the 12 animals ... A Mongolian era is equivalent to 60 earth years. A cycle of 60 years is broken into 12 years and 5 elements (5x12).
However, yurts that are used daily in the XXI century have 5 walls and 81 poles. We put a single layer of felt in summer and two layers in winter. Bigger yurts are from 7 meters in diameter, and they still remain special pieces that the Mongols use for special events or to create a particular place.
