MONGOLIAN GER - TRADITIONAL MONGOLIAN DWELLING

A Ger or ‘house, home’ is referred as the White Pearl of the Steppe. A Ger is not only practical in daily use but holds many meanings for Mongolians.

A round wooden-framed felt tent covered in durable white canvas seems to be the most simple description of this portable home. The modern shape of the Mongolian Ger has been formed as the result of the long development through huts, marquees and wheeled abodes. During ancient times, people made shelters from dry branches and animal skins.

This could have been the first version of current Mongolian Ger. The history of the Ger goes back to 2500-3000 years BC. In medieval era large Gers that belong to kings and nomadic chieftains were built on special wheeled floors and were dragged by a number of oxen (22 at usual). The Mongolian Ger has two key component: the wooden frame work and the felt cover. The wooden wall shell is called 'khana', the upper wooden poles (measuring 1.5-3 meters) are 'uni', the central supporting two columns are known as 'bagana' and the uppermost smoke hole is 'toono'. A Ger has 4-12 khanas, depending on its size. The number of uni or upper poles ranges between 45 and 120 depending on the number of khanas. Any ger has a toono ,the smoke hole and baganas, 2 columns supporting the toono.
There are several felt layers, covering the wooden framework and outer white canvas which is designed to make the Ger look prettier and protect the felt covers from rain and snow. Mongolian nomads, who move several times each year, pack their Gers onto the back of camels or camel and ox carts. The weight of a ger is approximately 250kg-s.It only takes half an hour to collapse an average ger and a bit longer to re-build it.

The furniture inside a Ger is arranged according to the years of the Lunar calendar in a clockwise direction. The most honored place for the guest is khoimor opposite the door where the family keeps its treasures and khoimor location is in the year of the Rat, a symbol of abundance and richness. The door is located in the year of the Monkey because strangers and guests come through the door. From the religious standpoint, a Ger resembles a white seashell, symbol of intelligence in Buddhism. Accommodation in a Ger provides a perfect blend of comfort and authenticity.