Yurts: A History

The first yurts have been traced back to the time of Genghis Khan. Marco Polo, observing the nomadic people of Mongolia, noticed their sturdy, exactly-round tents made of rods, covered with felt, which they carried with them on carts. Yurts (or gers, as they are called in Asia), are still used today throughout parts of Russia, Mongolia and Siberia.

The traditional yurt walls were made of slats lashed together with leather thongs to form a collapsible trellis or lattice. The lattice was set up in a circle and the door frame was lashed into place. The crown or center ring was set on two posts in the center of the yurt. Roof poles connected to the crown and rested on the top of the lattice, all the way around. Finally, the entire lattice is bound by a tension rope. Covers for yurts in Mongolia were constructed of felt, beaten soft by rolling and kicking the wet sheep fleece. In cold climates, up to six layers were used for insulation.

Yurts have been used in some of the most inhospitable and barren regions of the world: the deserts of the Sahara and Gobi, the Central Asian steppe, and the polar tundras. Yurts can be warm in temperatures of minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit and cool in temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.