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 North West.
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