Tent and Culture

A �Halk� (a kind of cooperative made of a few black tents called �Godams� in order to facilitate migration and cooperate in cattle-raising). Some Baluchi tents are made of palm branches bent in arches fixed in the ground covered with mats made of goat�s hair. �Baluch� tribes live in plains and move to higher altitudes around their residence in summer. They return to the plains in winter time.

A black tent (Rash-e-mal) belonging to "Jalali" kurds in a camp located in the "Ararat" summer pastures. These black tents which are made of goat's hair are fixed to the ground with long wooden pegs which serve as lateral posts. Tent is then covered all around with straw mats (Hassir). Near the Turkish border, West Azarbaijan.

A "Bohun" belonging to a Kohkiluyeh-va-Boyer-Ahmad tribe, located at Summer camp (Vard) (the location of black tents of a "Mal" in summer), early in spring. Black tents are covered with mats made of goat's hair by tribes people, and are set up on column (Diraks), fixed to ground with ropes and wooden pegs. Tent tops are made of a few mats and the surrounding walls (Lareh) are also covered with material made of goat�s hair joined together by metal or wooden needles. The tent�s surrounding is covered with �Chiq�. �Diraks� are set up differently in summer than they are in winters. Tent top is level in summer, while it slopes down in winter to let the rain water run off. Walls are separated in heat to allow for the air circulation. �Dehdasht�, ohkiluyeh-va-Boyer-Ahmad.

The skeleton of an �Oy�, the residence of the cattle-raising �Yomut� Turkman tribes. These herdsmen live in portable �Oys� with wooden frames covered with mats. The tents are cylindrical in the bottom and dome-shaped on top. They are composed of three sections of �Tarem� (the Oy�s wall), �Uqs�, which are bow-shaped sticks placed on top of the �Tarem� making the top, and �Tuynuk� which is a wheel-shaped ring placed in the middle of the tent top to which �Uqs� are fixed. There is also the door that holds the whole structure together. All these parts are covered with mats. �Hutan�, near �Moraveh-Tappeh�, Khorasan.

A skeleton of a tent belonging to �Ilsavan� (Shahsavan) tribes. These dome-shaped tents are framed into hemispheres with bow-shaped sticks (Chibuq), as in �Oys�. The dome is called �Chambareh�. It differs from the Turkman �Oy� in that it lacks the wooden rim (Tarem) surrounding it, and the wooden door. These tents are also covered with mats as in �Oys� and be set up in less than an hour by women. They are carried on camel backs. �Shahsavan� tribes summer pastures, near �Qotur-sui�, �Sabalan mountain foot.

�Ilsavan� (Shahsavan) men sewing patches of mats �Kacheh� together. These mats are used to cover the tents. Near �Moil�, �Sabalan� mountain foot, East Azarbaijan.

An �Ilsavan� (Shahsavan) household in front of a tent in �Yazlakh�, temporary spring setting. �Germi� , near Ardebil.

A celestial sphere, sun wheel, or a charm, over the tent belonging to a newly-wed �Ilsavan� couple.

A bedouin, cattle-raising family of an Arab tribe in front of their tent. Between �Shush� and �Ahvaz.

Baking women, members of an �Obeh� belonging to �Ilsavan� tribes in summer �Yourt� (tents and spaces in between in �Yeilaq�. �Sabalan� mountain foot. East Azarbaijan.

A Kurdish woman from �Qahremanlu� clan weaving gliem inside the tent. The interior of the tribal black tents are organized in such a way that different activities are made feasible. This space is devoted to woman�s activities, cooking, weaving, keeping herds, entertaining guests, sleeping, taking a rest and storing things. At times, one place maybe used for different activities at different times of the day. Near �Bojnurd�, �Khorasan�.

A warm oven, a black kettle on a trivet-promise of tea in the desert morning. Inside a black tent (Palas). Migratory tribes of the northen border.

A man from the �Hassanvand�, Lur tribe, inside a black tent beside the warm oven of home. Between �Khorram-Abad�, and �Andimeshk�.

A black tent (Palas) belonging to the �Afshar� clan of Kerman tribe, at a winter setting �Ishum� (camp). Near �Sirjan�.

Preparing a meal inside the black tent. �Kurdish� tribes of Khorasan, near �Shirvan�.

Preparing supper. �Qashqai� women at �Yeilaq� �Yourt� (camp). In summer, �Qashqais� take away the column in the center of the tent and flatten the top. �Shirin-Cheshmeh�, near �Abadeh�, Fars.