Yurts are still used by representatives of many nationalities - Kazakhs, Bashkirs, Turks, Mongols. To the question of what the yurt is made of, each of them can answer in their own way. Somewhere it is made from felted camel wool, and somewhere the wool of sheep is taken as a basis.
To people who are not privy to the intricacies of what the yurt is made of, such a dwelling seems unreliable, cold enough, and they sincerely do not understand how nomads can live in them constantly, in any weather and at any time of the year. In fact, a yurt is a lightweight portable home with unique performance characteristics. In summer it is cool, even if it is installed in the sun, and in winter it is warm and comfortable even in the most severe frosts.
What is a yurt
It is not known for certain when and by whom the first yurt was built. Scientists can only assume that the current yurt is something similar to the dwelling of the Andronovites who existed in the 11-10th centuries BC. There is no detailed description of the structures of those times; yurts with the following characteristics are available to contemporaries:
- lightweight and easy to assemble and disassemble,
- having a low specific gravity,
- comfortable for living at any time of the year,
- consisting of a wooden base and a felt covering,
- with high heat and sound insulation properties.
Different nationalities have a different arrangement of yurts - somewhere they are made with two hinged doors made of wood, somewhere the entrance to the house is closed by a canopy. There are differences in the size of the structure. Kazakhs make yurts lower than Kyrgyz because of the climate and constant winds. But the interior decoration of the yurt is always rich and extraordinarily beautiful, with a decor typical of the nationality, a lot of woven carpets and pillows, similar to the usual sofa "dummy".
How and from what a yurt is made
Such a residential building is a simple structure. Mandatory requirements for it are mobility, ease and ease of assembly. Only 2-3 people can install and equip a real yurt. It consists of
- lattice, usually folding walls made of thin wooden planks,
- the poles that form the dome of the yurt - long, thin, but elastic,
- a circle made of wood, fastening the poles at the top of the dome of the yurt,
- felt material, which is attached to the frame with leather straps.
The interior of a yurt is not just decoration, but its functional content. In the center of the dwelling there is a hearth (oven) - a depression in the ground floor, on which food is prepared, which is responsible for heating the yurt.
The entrance must be located on the south side. In the northern sector, as a rule, cult objects are placed - talismans, images of gods and other things of this plan.
Women live in the eastern part of the yurt, men - in the western part. Things are arranged accordingly. Men keep weapons, hunting devices and crafts in their half. Kitchen utensils and other women's "things" are laid out on the women's side. The master's bed is located at the entrance to the yurt - they are responsible for protecting the peace of the family.
