Shelter and Outbuildings

Traditional housing in Eurasia includes the portable Central Asian yurt and the rather enigmatic Russian dacha. Other forms include the Łemko cottages in Poland and the Russian izba. Additionally, outbuildings, like the Russian banya, can play an outsized role in culture. Finally, elements of housing, such as the yurt’s central tuinduik and its surrounding felt or the large central stoves that heat many traditional Slavic houses can also have significant cultural meaning. Even in areas where these types of housing are no longer used, they remain well known and often part of the nation’s imagery.

Preparing for the Cold: Winter Wear as a Cultural Phenomenon in Russia

Russia has famously cold winters. Russians, and the many other cultures that live across the Eurasian landmass (such as the Evenk and Sakha), have culturally adapted to this in order to survive there. This has affected traditional clothing and housing, but also cultural attitudes toward the weather. These attitudes are, in turn, often reflected in […]

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