Birtalan Ágnes: Kalmyk Folklore and Folk Culture in the Mid-19th Century: Philological Studies on the Basis of Gábor Bálint of Szentkatolna’s Kalmyk Texts.
ETHNOGRAPHICA CALMYCICA
YURT, "ROUND TENT" (GER, ESGI GER)" 8 6 The traditional dwelling place of Mongolian people is the yurt (ger) also called "felt tent, felt house" (esgi ger). Yurt is a word of Turkish origin and primarily designates the whole campsite where the tent is put up. Unlike the yurts of most Turkic peoples, a contemporary ger is lower inside because the roof poles (uni) are straight (sulüri) while, e. g., Kazak yurts have bent (Khalkha matigar) and/or longer roof poles (cf. Mongolian Kazaks). Rock drawings found in campsites of ancient Inner Asian nomads also show tents with higher roofs. The campsite (gerin süri, gerin büri) for the yurt is traditionally chosen in view of the forces of nature, the relief and the kind of livestock kept in largest quantities. The main guidelines are summed up by a wise saying as follows: Namrln cagt sild büj. In autumn put up the tent on a ridge, ÖwlTn cagt ötögt büj. In winter heap up dung in your dwelling, Xawrln cagt xält barij, In spring build a pen, Jürii cagt jülegt bü! In summer dwell on succulent pasture! Influenced by Chinese Feng-shui, Mongols also produced manuscripts, woodprints, "the sutras of the characteristics of land" (gajrln sinj sudar), in which nomadic knowledge and Chinese tradition are included. Apart from the natural conditions, the quality of land is also determined by former events (illness, disaster), on the basis of which dead and living lands are differentiated (iixsen gajar, amid gajar). The main parts of the yurt are: wooden frame, felt covering, ropes (girth, belt, fastening rope). Components of the wooden frame (yas mod): roof ring or crown ( töno ), roof pole (uni), lattice wall (xana), supporting column (bagana), door (xälga), and - especially in winter -floor (sal). Parts of the felt cover (esgi bürés) (cf. Felt parts of the yurt): felt cover of the crown (örx), felt cover of the roof (dexver), felt cover of the side walls (türga) and felt door (esgi üd). The lower edge of the round tent (Khalkha xayäwc, Oir. irge) may also be of felt, but canvas (ccrwag) is used increasingly frequently. The felt parts are fastened by internal and external ropes (cf. Fastening ropes of the yurt): girth (xoslon), belt (büslür), fixing rope (darülga). During migrating (cf. Migration), along caravan routes, during hunts, or when the livestock is driven to the reserve pasture (otor) for fattening, temporary shelters are built. In the 19 t h century, tents built on the frame of the crown and the straight roof poles xatgür ger were customary. In Western Mongolia a variant with a square crown (dörwöljin xelbertei xatgür) was also known into which roof poles thicker than usual were fastened. This type of temporary dwelling (with a round crown) was known in Eastern Mongolia as well, called cej ger (céj "bosom, breast") for its shape resembling a bosom. A shelter of a similar construction was the towi ger, with the difference that the lower part of the roof poles was bent, allowing more space inside. The wooden frame was covered with the felt panels used for the yurt. Even in the 20 t h century there were yurts which were not covered by felt but - owing to the poverty of the owners - only larch (xar mod) bark (xoltson ger, xoltos "bark"), or sheaves of reeds or even grass and twigs were used in its place. These dwellings were also called sar ger "yellow round tent", probably for the colour of the plants paled by the sun. The above-mentioned dwellings already disappeared by the recent past and the temporary shelter became a regular tent (maixan) on shorter trips. The phases of building a yurt tent (ger barix ): " 8" Birtalan, Ágnes: Yurt (round tent). In: Material Culture (DVD). 166
