We are frequently asked about the history and story of Yurts, so here is some information on Yurts and their symbolism.

Yurts are the traditional dwelling of the Mongols, although more correctly they should be called Gers; Yurt is the westernised common word for them.

It is constructed of a framework of poles (uni) radiating from a center smoke hole ring (tono), which is lashed on top of a circular latticework wall. Some Mongols live in tepees e.g. the Tsatang and Urianhai. Gers and Tepees (uurts) are designed to be easily assembled and taken down for the nomadic life of the Mongols.

The orientation and symbolism of the Ger is the same for all Mongolian groups. The Ger is viewed not only as the center of the universe but also a microcosm within it. It is laid out as a map of the universe and the vault of the heavens is reflected in the arched shape of the interior of the roof.

The entrance always faces south. The north side, called the hoimor and located behind the fire, is the most honorable spot in the Ger. It is here that the sacred objects, ongon spirit dwellings and other religious images are placed on a table. The sitting place next to the hoimor is the most honored and is occupied by elders, chiefs, shamans, or other respected guests.

The right (west) side is the male side and is the sitting place for men and storage place for men's tools, saddles, bows, and guns. The left (east) side is the sitting place for women and cooking utensils, cradle boards and other women's objects are placed there. Since the southern side is the least honoured spot young people are usually seated to the left and right of the door.

When moving inside the Ger you move in a sunwise - clockwise - direction. The path of the sun can be traced by the circular patch of sunlight entering through the smoke hole through the day.

The three pictures show from left to right: an internal view of the roof of our Ger, a picture taken on a trip to Mongolia in 2004 of scene little changed since the time of Chinghiss Khan - the plastic bowl, metal chimney and Russian jeep just out of camera shot being some of the changes. The dog has his front paw put through his dog collar so he will stay passive, the tray on the roof contains drying mares' milk cheese - and on the right our Ger being put up indoors (and upstairs) for an event.

Our Ger has a steeper roof pitch than the Mongolian to cope with our higher rainfall in western Europe.