Kazakh Yurt

The yurt is an ancient dwelling of nomadic tribes, designed to be easily assembled and transported. It was a crucial part of the nomadic lifestyle, offering comfort and practicality during constant migrations. Beyond being a functional home, the yurt symbolizes Kazakh culture and played a significant role in everyday life. The term “yurt” can be translated to mean homeland, native land, or people.

A yurt is not just a shelter; it represents a unique worldview—a life without sharp corners, without restrictions, and in harmony with nature. It stands as a remarkable achievement of humanity that deserves to be preserved for future generations.

A fascinating feature of the yurt is that, for nearly a millennium, it did not incorporate windows, even though the technology to do so was simple. This omission reflects a profound connection with the natural world. Nomads did not need windows to unite their inner and outer worlds—they already felt at one with their surroundings. Despite living in a state of readiness for potential threats, they did not feel the need to look out through windows. The yurt is not a fortress but a home, one where there was no space for warfare.

The Kazakh yurt consists of three wooden components: kerege (lattice walls), uyk (roof poles that form the dome), and the shanyrak (a circular top piece that serves as both a ceiling window and smoke outlet). The shanyrak is a family heirloom and a symbol of lineage, so important that its image is featured on Kazakhstan’s coat of arms. Once the framework is assembled, it is covered with felt, which provides protection against wind, rain, snow, the hot sun, and dust.

At the heart of the yurt, beneath the shanyrak, lies the hearth, where a tripod stand holds the cooking pot. The farthest part of the yurt houses the family’s belongings, and it is here that guests are traditionally welcomed.

There are two main types of yurts with slightly different designs: the Turkic yurt, used by Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and Turkmen, and the Mongolian yurt, traditionally used by other nomadic peoples. The key difference lies in the center support. Mongolian, Buryat, and Tuvan yurts have wooden pillars that support the roof poles, which are straight. This structure makes it easier to set up the yurt but adds bulk, making it harder to transport.

In contrast, the Turkic yurt’s roof poles are curved and attached directly to the lattice walls (kerege), distributing the weight of the roof evenly. This design gives the yurt a more refined and harmonious appearance, with no central pillars or partitions inside.

Turkmen yurts are distinct in having double-leaf wooden doors, while Kazakh and Kyrgyz yurts often use felt coverings for doors. Kazakh yurts are typically lower than Kyrgyz yurts, a design adapted to the strong winds of the steppe.

The yurt’s design evolved from the shelters of early humans and the tents of nomads. There are two theories regarding its origin: one suggests that yurts first appeared in the 12th to 9th centuries BCE, while the other dates them to the 8th to 5th centuries BCE, as evidenced by ancient rock carvings and manuscripts. Additional records point to the yurt’s development during the Mongol conquests of the 13th century, as depicted in Chinese, Central Asian, Iranian, and Turkish miniatures.