Kyrgyz Yurt at Earth Centre

It is hoped that the Kyrgyz yurt can stay in Doncaster. Since the announced closing of the Earth Centre, it is a concern that the authentic and beautiful yurt will be lost to the citizens of South Yorkshire.

Earth Centre is now closed. Earth Centre closed in October 2004. Earth Centre is now in administration and is no longer open to the public.

This is the outside of the felt Yurt. It is made from willow wood and felt. It is a SUSTAINABLE house. The doorway always faces south. The sun can shine through the doorway. There is a little hole in the roof to let the smoke through.

Rosie asks us to take our shoes off before entering the yurt, and we leave them in a nice, neat line. Kyrgyzstan is in central Asia. It is near to Russia and China and Mongolia and Afghanistan and Pakistan.

This beautiful pattern is cut from felt

The baby's cot and some cooking things

Sitting on the lovely wool carpets in the Yurt. The wool is made into felt with some gorgeous colours.

The Tunduk - It is the crown which supports the roof and lets daylight into the yurt. Big Pieces of felt go on the roof to keep out the rain and snow. Its is like a woolly carpet on the roof! The smoke goes out through a hole in the roof.

Here we are trying a felt hat on for size.
A felt hat keeps your head nice and warm.

Here we are playing the table cloth game. We have to put all the objects in the correct place.

snuggling under the covers - there are no beds!

Rosi our tour guide talks about the Yurt.

We learn about the sheep and the wool that is made into felt

It is lovely in the yurt. A lovely home for the family to live in.

We have been putting the objects on the table cloth.

There is a table outside the yurt where you can sit and look at books and draw pictures. There are some display cases with real objects in from Kyrgyzstan.

Some of the cushions and carpets and wall hangings

This is the tablecloth - we must not walk on it.
There is a men's side. The men are called Er Jaks. On the men's side are the music things and the saddle.
There is a women's side. The women are called Epchi Jaks. On the women's side is the cradle and the cooking things.
The boots go at the doorway.
The place of honour is on the north side. John, Rosi, Debbie & Richard sat in the place of honour, because they were our tour guides.

John told us a story about Manas who was a famous and powerful leader of the Kyrgyzstan people. They have many stories about his bravery and  strength. Some of the stories take all day to tell, but John's story was not as long as all day!

Common patterns that are found in Kyrgyz Art. We saw lots of these patterns on the beautiful rugs and carpets and bags.

Rams horn motif
(kochkor muyuz)
This is the most common& characteristic motif:
2 horns curving outward from a central point. It is found throughout Central Asia.

Forked post motif
(acha bakan)
This is the post used to put the roof felts on the yurt and to close & open the smoke flap.

Four horns motif
(tort muyuz)
Four sets of rams horns form a cross.

Raven's claw motif
(karga turmak)
This motif may have been used as protection.

Birds wing motif
(kush kanat)
This design is often used in border designs.

Four horns motif
(tort muyuz)
Four sets of rams horns form a cross