Marco Polo Study: Mongolia

Mongolia

~photo courtesy of Google maps

Marco Polo called the Mongols, "Tartars." He says that they never remained fixed. In the winter, they went to the plains for pasture for their cattle. In the summer, they went to the cold mountains. He reports that they had the best falcons and dogs in the world and wore defensive armour made from buffalo hides dried by fire to make them extremely hard and strong. The wealthy dressed in cloth of gold and silks with animal skins.  

"Their huts and tents (yurts or gers) are formed of rods covered with felt, and being exactly round, and nicely put together, they can gather them into one bundle, and make them up as packages, which they carry along with them in their migrations, upon a sort of car with four wheels....the entrance front is to the south...they have a superior kind of vehicle upon two wheels, covered likewise with black felt...drawn by oxen and camels."

See a blownout image here.

The Mongols traditionally moved from place to place (4 times a year) so their homes were portable tents made of wood, canvas, and felt. We made our own yurts with little people. There are terrific directions here.

The Mongols subsisted mainly on meat and milk, but they also ate yogurt. They had camel hair rugs, yak wool, and lapis luzuli.

lapis lazuli

We read  Marco Polo: A Story of the Middle Ages Ch. 9.

Photos courtesy of wikipedia.org. See our References for more information.

I am working on a year long series on the Polo family travels and thought I'd share it with you. Enjoy and please post any additional information you have for us or corrections.

Previously: Afghanistan Next Up: China

Wishing you homeschool blessings,

Bethany