Transformation of Kalmyk Dwellings during Their Transfer to Settled Life in Imperial and Soviet Periods

The article examines the process of transformation of Kalmyk dwellings in the context of the transition of nomadic herders to settled life during the Imperial and Soviet periods. It is noted that felt dwelling (“kibitka”) were built for permanent family residence and had a range of useful functions: accessibility, low cost of materials (felt; with only some details made of wood), and ecological sustainability. The authors report that in the early years of Soviet power, herders began to transition en masse to settled life and independently built new Soviet settlements with houses made of mud and reeds called “mazankas”. The article shows changes in the structural features of dwellings in chronological order, typologizes them, and conducts a comparative analysis. Initially, the nomadic lifestyle of the Kalmyk steppe dwellers necessitated the development of a mobile and reliable shelter in the form of a kibitka. Transitioning to settled life, the Kalmyks adapted to the harsh conditions of the steppe without nomadism and created modern stationary housing made of reed-sand material (compressed reed stems or clay mixed with straw). Currently, many wealthy rural Kalmyks reproduce the Kalmyk felt house — a kibitka — for entertaining guests due to their mental attitudes.

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