The Mongols – Way of LifeSlide 2

The Mongols were

Nomadic herdsmen

What does nomadic mean? – moving about from place to place

Nomadic pastoralists who were superb horsemen and travelled with their flocks of camels sheep, goats, cattle, and horses over the immense grasslands of the steppes of Central Asia.

Mongols moved according to the state of pasture and food and water supply

If stay in one place, pasture eaten and area denuded

Also- remember what we learnt yesterday about landscape and climate – go to different areas in summer vs winter or where there is water

Slides 3-6

Mongols had large herds of yaks, camels, horses, sheep, goats, Horses were very important to the Mongols.

The long sticks the herdsmen are holding – have a lasso at the end – used for catching and guiding livestock.

The 6 key uses for these animals were:

Transportation

Trade for other goods e.g. grain, vegetables, silk

Meat and Milk

Wool and Felt (Felt is a thick fabric made of matted wool used for insulation and windproof layers in houses)

Leather

Slide 8 – Hunting for food, skins, skill development and fun

Falconary

Slide 9

So let’s have a look at what the Mongols ate

As we said, they did not stay in one place- so they didn’t grow crops. They used their herds for milk and meat

Food was classified as white or brown. White food was based on milk. Usually formed the diet in summer. Brown food was meat.

Slide 10

A major part of the diet was fermented mare’s milk or Airag.

Traditional national beverage and is still drunk today. A Mongolian food guide says: “Airag re-freshens and sparkles softly on the tongue. It contains a small amount of carbon dioxide, and up to 2% of alcohol. The taste is slightly sour, but quite agreeable ….”

Rich source of vitamins and minerals.

If you visited a Mongol, each visitor would be offered a bowl of Airag. It is very impolite to refuse the bowl. Even taking a just sip is acceptable and good manners.

Milk from the animals is also used to make milk curd – or aruul Slide 11

Here’s the recepie

Leave the milk (usually from cattle, yaks, camels) to curdle.

Strain out the solid components with a fine cloth and let the liquid drip off. Then press the mass into a cake of a few cm height between two wooden boards, weighted down with stones.

Cut the solid cake into pieces

Slide 11

Arrange the pieces on a wooden board and put them into the sun for drying. In Mongolia, this happens on the roof of the ger or house. (Slide 12)

MEAT - Sheep were killed in winter and roasted on skewers (Slide 13). Served according to a hierarchy – a high status person got the best bits. It was the responsibility of the person serving to know who was to get which bits of meat.

or boiled with wild garlic or onion. (Mongolian lamb! Slide 14)

Slide 15 – Mongolian clothing – leather boots (similar to uggh boots) and fur hats essential. Caftans and pants women for both sexes.

Slide 16 – Music – wide variety of instruments – strings, horns, drums, cymbals

Slide 17 – throat singing Video (3 mins)

Slide 18 – Sharmanism. Altar was placed in each ger, opposite the door.

Slide 19 – Social structure

Mongolian Society

So how was society organised?

The basic unit of Mongol society was the TRIBE. It was made up of several clans (family group).

There was a hierarchy within the Tribes and clans, with “stronger” taking precedence over “weaker” and “elder” taking precedence over “younger”.

The people in the clan were related and camped and herded together.

When threatened by enemies or preparing for raids, clans and tribes would be combined in great confederations.

Leaders were elected by the free men and were chosen for their ability.

Women had influence in the family and the right to be heard in tribal councils.

Slide 20 – Family groups – multigenerational. Man could have many wives. Separate gers. Senior wife has easterly ger – then in order. (Westerly wind prevailing and morning sun).

Slide 21 -House called a Ger. May have heard of Yurt – that is the Russian name and Mongolians definitely prefer Ger.

What do you notice about these houses? Round – to shed wind

Waterproof covering over layers of felt. More felt layers in winter – extra insulation. In summer roll up from bottom for more ventilation,

Ventilation and smoke hole. no windows. Tension straps. Door

How to construct a ger

Activity

Society had many interesting traditional customs e.g. inheritance,

Inheritance

Inheritance is very interesting. When the eldest son marries, he moves to the furthest away pasture. As next son marries, he moves to next furthest pasture. The youngest son stays in the family home and looks after his parents. When they die, he inherits their gur (or house), pasture and livestock.

Marriage

Each man can marry more than one wife. Each wife has a separate gur. The first wife’s gur is placed to the east and then the gurs are placed east to west according to the order they married their husband.

Dowry

The wife to be gives gifts to the groom’s mother. His family gives livestock to the couple.