Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Traditional Gers
Of all the different types of domiciles ever conceived, the Mongolian ger has
to be one of the most useful, versatile and perfectly adapted for the user.
Here is a home that one can take apart in less than an hour, move to a differ-
ent location (with the help of a camel or two) and set up again, all on the
same day. Gers are not unique to Mongolia; versions can be found across
Central Asia, from Xinjiang to Turkmenistan. But while other traditions are
fading, use of the ger is still common. For travellers, a visit inside a ger is
central to the Mongolian experience.
An average ger weighs about 250kg and can be carried by two camels. These days most
families tend to hire a truck to transport their ger to a new location.
Structural Integrity
The outermost and innermost material of the ger is usually canvas, with an insulating layer
of felt sandwiched in between (more layers in winter and fewer in summer), supported by
a collapsible wooden frame. Ropes made from horsehair are cinched around the perimeter
to hold the ger together. The roof tends to be low, which helps in deflecting wind. During
hot weather the sides can be rolled up and mosquito netting added. Anchoring ropes held
down with rocks are set in strong wind.
The felt
(esgi)
is made in the autumn by stretching out several layers of sheep's wool on
the ground, sprinkling it with water, adding grass and rolling it up tight, wetting it again
and then rolling the whole thing back and forth over the steppe. As the wool dries the
threads tighten up and harden into a stiff (yet still flexible) mat. The poles traditionally
come from Mongolia's forests but recent limits on wood use have forced ger makers to ac-
quire timber from Russia.
GER CARTS
It is said that the great Mongol khaans (emperors) had enormous gers that they
placed on ox carts to be pulled around their empire, like some sort of ancient Winne-
bago. This is depicted on some Mongolian banknotes. Some modern scholars,
however, dispute this story. Whatever the case, the Mongols certainly did use their
gers everywhere they went, only rarely adopting the life of the settled peoples they
