Ryeder's Weblog

The tiny house movement may be becoming popular, but it is far from new. Before humans settled down into permanent structures, tiny, mobile homes were the norm among our nomadic ancestors. Homes were designed to be packed up, moved and erected in a new place. Taking what our ancestors learned, ideas for modern versions are available….

YURT

A yurt is a portable, bent dwelling structure traditionally used by nomads in the steppes of Central Asia as their home. The structure comprises a crown or compression wheel, usually steam bent, supported by roof ribs which are bent down at the end where they meet the lattice wall (again, steam bent). The top of the wall is prevented from spreading by means of a tension band which opposes the force of the roof ribs. The structure is usually covered by layers of fabric and sheep’s wool felt for insulation and weatherproofing.

TIPI

In North America, the Tipi was the Native American’s answer to the Eastern yurt. This structure, though different in shape, could also be packed up and moved when necessary. This is a conical tent, traditionally made of animal skins, and wooden poles. The tipi was used by the nomadic tribes of the Great Plains in North America. Tipis are stereotypically associated with Native Americans in the United States in general; however Native Americans from places other than the Great Plains mostly used different types of dwellings. The tipi is durable provides warmth and comfort in winter, is cool in the heat of summer, and is dry during heavy rains. Tipis could be disassembled and packed away quickly when a tribe decided to move and could be reconstructed quickly upon settling in a new area. This portability was important to Plains Indians with their nomadic lifestyle. Modern tipi covers are usually made of canvas. Contemporary users of tipis include historical reenactors, back-to-the-land devotees, and Native American families attending powwows or encampments who wish to preserve and pass on a part of their heritage and tradition.

Gypsy Wagons

Moving ahead a few years, we see Gypsy wagons rolling around Europe on primitive wheels. Even in that era, mobile, nomadic people were hard to categorize. They were often unwelcome and considered “unsavory”, as settled people did not know what to do with them or where to put them when they visited town. (In the future, in England, towns would consider building in areas of land for visiting nomadic people).  A vardo (also waggon, living wagon, van, and caravan) is a traditional horse-drawn wagon used by British Romani people as their home.] Possessing a chimney, it is commonly thought of as being highly decorated, intricately carved, brightly painted, and even gilded. The British Romani tradition of the vardo is seen as a high cultural point of both artistic design and a masterpiece of woodcrafters art.

Sheep Wagon

The sheep wagon was “home on the range” for sheep herders with their shaggy old dog lying outside watching over the band of sheep in the nearby meadow. Sheep wagons made their debut between 1890 and 1930 on the western prairie and in the mountain meadows. These humble abodes were the homes of nomadic sheep herders who followed their bands of sheep in search of green pastures. This “home on wheels” was pulled from one location to another by a team of horses. As automobiles became popular, the large wooden-spoke wheels were often replaced by rubber tires. The team of horses was retired and a pickup truck replaced them. Although meager, this wagon was a shelter for the sheep herder which contained most of the necessities of life. It was a kitchen, bedroom, and living-room, ingeniously packaged into one small space.

And finally, the Model T