Yurt History

Despite the overwhelming interest in the yurt not very much research has taken place into its history. The yurt has been and is still the traditional dwelling of the nomadic peoples of Central Asia. Indeed yurts are found from Anatolia to Mongolia.

 

Tent researcher Peter Andrews’ magnificent book(s) Nomad Tent Types in the Middle East,  contains many significant references to yurts in the Middle East.  However this is not a complete picture.

 

In 1982 the discovery of the  burial site “Arjan tomb” in the Zagros mountains of southern Iran shed some interesting light on the matter. The contents included  a bowl that clearly depicted a  bentwood or Turkic style yurt frame. This itself suggests yurts were being used 2600 years ago.

 

References