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Mongolian Ger (Felt Tent)

Type Object Region Mongolian Plateau Time c. -1000

The ger (felt tent) is a portable domed dwelling of nomadic peoples built from wooden frames, felt, and ropes, spread across the Eurasian steppe duri…

Timeline

  1. c. -1000–1200Mongolian Plateau · Mongolian PlateauEarly steppe nomads commonly used collapsible felt tents; wooden lattice frames, felt walls, and smoke-hole structures were already well developed, suited to seasonal migration and herding.
  2. 1206–1270Mongol Empire steppe camps · Mongol EmpireMongol imperial armies and royal households migrated with their camps; large felt tents (ordo) became centers of command, storage, and ceremony; during the 1260s struggle between Kublai Khan and Ariq Böke, steppe camps still relied on felt tents for logistics and symbols of authority.
  3. 1240–1400Golden Horde steppe · Golden HordeAs the Mongol khanates split apart, felt-tent forms and camp organization spread to the Volga, Central Asia, and the edges of North China, becoming the standard dwelling form of khanal courts and nomadic nobles.
  4. 1400Mongolia · MongoliaModern Mongolia, Central Asia, and parts of China's pastoral regions still use gers as seasonal dwellings or tourist cultural symbols, with structures and materials retaining traditional frameworks while incorporating modern fabrics and heating equipment.

Sources