Exploring Unique Dwellings: The Presence Of Yurts In Afghanistan's Cultural Landscape

Afghanistan is home to a variety of yurt styles, including the Firuzhui Yurt from the north of the country, and the Chayar Aymaq yurt, which is made by the Chayar Aymaq (four tribes). The yurt is a portable, circular dwelling made of a lattice of flexible wood and covered in felt. They have been used in Central Asia for thousands of years, and are particularly associated with Mongolia.

The Chahar Aimak people of Afghanistan, who are of Turkic or Turco-Mongolian origin, also use yurts. These yurts are of the Mongolian style.

Yurts in Afghanistan are based on the Firuzkhui style from the north of the country

The Firuzkhui yurt is made by the Chayar Aymaq, or "four tribes", in the north of Afghanistan. This yurt type is distinct from the Mongolian ger (the Mongol name for yurt) that has a convex bend, and the Timurid period yurt pictures show yurts with a similar bend. This feature has been lost to the yurt design almost everywhere else.

The Firuzkhui yurt has a high pitch wheel to allow for an open fire while still covering the hole from the rain. The author of the source text reasons that the double bend in the roof rafters helps smoke escape through a smaller opening.

The author also theorises that the Firuzkhui yurt was designed for wetter climates. They point to an account by William of Rubruck, who wrote about the tents of the Mongols and said they had a "neck-like projection". The author explains that the Mongols may have encountered wetter climates and had to develop a better-suited yurt for the rain.

The author's friend and yurt-making expert, Peter, does not agree with this theory. Peter says that the yurt is not used for cooking and that the top features a felt "hat" that is sealed closed. He says that cooking happens in a smaller tent nearby.

The author, however, was already obsessed with their theory and looked for proof. They found a picture drawn at the Pendeh Oasis, just north of the border of Afghanistan in Turkmenistan, that showed smoke coming from a yurt with a double bend. This proves that double-bend roof yurts had open fires at least at one point in time.

The Firuzkhui yurt is a style of yurt that comes from the north of Afghanistan and has several distinct features, including a two-tiered trellis, a small wheel with an extra-high profile, and a double bend in the roof rafters.

The Firuzhui Yurt has a two-tiered trellis, a small wheel with a high profile, and a double bend on the roof rafters

The Firuzhui Yurt is a yurt type from northern Afghanistan. It features a two-tiered trellis, a small wheel with a high profile, and a double bend on the roof rafters.

The Firuzhui Yurt is a unique style of yurt, with features that are obsolete almost anywhere else. The two-tiered trellis, small wheel with a high profile, and double bend on the roof rafters are all distinctive characteristics.

The small wheel, or crown, of the Firuzhui Yurt has an extra-high profile, which is designed to allow for an open fire while still protecting the yurt from the rain. The double bend on the roof rafters may also help with smoke escaping through a smaller opening. This type of yurt is well-suited to wetter climates, and its design may have been influenced by the Mongols, who encountered wetter weather on their conquests.

The Firuzhui Yurt is a true "wet-weather, open-fire yurt", with a high-pitched wheel that allows for an open fire while keeping out the rain. The high pitch of the wheel also provides good airflow, which is essential for an open fire. The double bend in the roof rafters may also aid in the escape of smoke through the smaller opening.

The Firuzhui Yurt is a great example of how yurt designs can be adapted to suit different climates and needs. With its unique features, it showcases the ingenuity and practicality of nomadic architecture.

Yurts are made of a lattice of flexible wood and covered in felt

Yurts are a type of portable, circular dwelling that has been used for thousands of years. They are made of a lattice of flexible wood and covered in felt.

The lattice walls of a yurt are made from flexible wooden poles, usually made from willow, birch, poplar, or bamboo. The poles are woven and bound together to form collapsible sections, known as khana. The sections are then lashed together when the yurt is assembled. The roof of the yurt is constructed by connecting the lattice walls to a circular opening at the top, known as the crown or toono. The crown is supported by central pillars, called bagana, and wooden rafters, called huns. The crown is partially open, allowing for air circulation and providing a chimney for the stove.

The lattice walls and roof are covered with layers of felt, which is made from wool or yak hair. The felt provides insulation, making the yurt warm in the winter and cool in the summer. In modern yurts, the felt may be replaced with a durable, high-tech architectural fabric. The exterior of the yurt may also be covered with an additional layer of waterproof fabric, such as canvas.

Yurts are portable and can be packed up and reassembled for seasonal migration

Yurts are a distinctive feature of life in Central Asia and have been for at least three thousand years. They are portable, circular dwellings made of a lattice of flexible wood and covered in felt. They are sturdy, reliable, and can be packed up and reassembled for seasonal migration.

The yurt is a traditional dwelling for nomadic peoples, and its portability is a key feature. In ancient times, a nomadic family would regularly move their yurt, dismantling it and packing up the parts to be carried on pack animals to a new site.

The portability of yurts is still a key feature today. Modern yurts are designed to be assembled and dismantled repeatedly, though they are often anchored onto a circular platform to secure them to the site. Yurts can be set up in as little as 30 minutes and usually house between five and 15 people. They are usually a little over 2 meters (6 feet) high, with a slightly domed top rising another meter.

Yurts are ideally suited to the dry, flat grassland of the Central Asian steppe, which is a windy and extremely cold biome. The circular shape of yurts makes them able to resist winds from any direction, and their sloping, aerodynamic shape means winds are unlikely to tear off roof beams. Yurts are also easy to heat, with a central stove providing even warmth. During the rainy season, families will often dig a trench around the yurt to prevent it from becoming too muddy or unstable.

The Chahar Aimak people of Afghanistan are of Turkic or Turco-Mongolian origin and live in Mongolian-style yurts. The Kyrgyz people of Afghanistan also live in yurts.

The Chahar Aimak people in western Afghanistan live in Mongolian-style yurts

The Chahar Aimak people are a collection of Sunni and mostly Persian-speaking nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes. They are likely of Turco-Mongolian origin, as evidenced by their physical appearance and their housing—yurts. The Chahar Aimak are one of the twenty Aimaq groups and are made up of four tribes: the Jamshidi, the Aimaq Hazara, the Firozkohi, and the Taimani.

The Chahar Aimak people live in the western part of the central mountain region of Afghanistan. They are located within an area stretching from the central hills of Badghis, north and northeast of Herat, to the mountains of Ghor in the west of central Afghanistan.

The Chahar Aimak people are largely nomadic to semi-nomadic goat and sheep herders. They trade with villages and farmers during migrations for pastures for their livestock. Their material culture and foodstuffs include skins, carpets, milk, and dairy products, which they trade with settled peoples in exchange for vegetables, grains, fruits, nuts, and other types of foods and goods.

The Chahar Aimak people are distinguished from the non-tribal population in the area, the Persians (Fariswan) and Tajiks. They are considered Hanafi Sunni Muslims, with some groups such as the Jamshidi being Ismaili Shia. Tribalism is strong among the Chahar Aimak people, and they accord women high status, allowing them to participate in group discussions and reject a groom chosen by their father, which is unusual among other rural Afghan people groups.

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