The Ger (Mongolian Felt Tent)
The Mongolians have been living in gers for over 1000
years. It is an ideal home for nomads as the ger (dwelling) can be erected in
about an hour or so. The tents are covered in felt that helps insulate the
nomads from the wind and the cold winter weather. Canvas is also used in
combination with felt. The underlying structure of the ger is interlocking
trellises. These concertina down for easy transport. A roof wheel into which
poles radiate and rest on the trellis frame caps the roof .
The roof wheel and the weight of the roof are
supported by two sturdy posts and the trellises are kept in place bands of
rope. The Ger’s door always faces south with the north side being the honoured
or sacred area. The west side is the male side, the east the female, the centre
is where the hearth or stove is. The cooking equipment is in the South West and
the horse equipment in the South East. Honoured guest sit in the
The Layout of a traditional
Ger
1. Saddle, lasso, 2. Bridle,
halter
3. Airag (Mare’s milk) bag
4. Yoghurt churn 5. Felt,
Skins & blanket storage
6. Chest for clothes, the
honoured guest sits in front
7. Gun & hunting
equipment
8. Mongolian & Tibetan
books, the guest lama position
9. Centre of Xoimor (sacred
area) 10. Wife’s chest 11. Hat box
12. Marital bed 13. Wife’s
saddle & bridle 14 Wooden bowls & plates 15. Cooking pot 16. felt mats
17. Low table for serving
tea and food.
18. Brazier or stove
19. Metal box for dried dung
fuel
20. Skins on the ground 21.
Door
22. Lowest hierarchical
position in the tent
All of the worldly possessions of the herds-people
except for their animals reside in the ger. These are all packed together with
the ger and traditionally loaded onto camels. Nowadays, if available a lorry is
hired. The ger is the focus of life amongst the Mongolian Nomads. Most of the
celebrations like the child’s first hair cutting ceremony below and marriages
are held in gers.
Hair Cutting Ceremony Buyant Gol Khovd Aimag
1993