Mongolia · Garment Making / Textile
дээл (Deel)
The deel (дээл) is the Mongolian wrapped robe worn by both men and women — the primary garment of nomadic life, adapted across four seasonal specifications (summer cotton, spring/autumn quilted, winter sheepskin, ceremonial silk) that encode the Mongolian climatic range from -40°C winter to +35°C summer. The defining technical knowledge is the collar construction: the Mongolian deel collar is a standing mandarin-style collar that closes with a specific frog-button (togsruu) system where the button and loop positions are calibrated to the wearer's right-hand dominant fastening pattern — the buttons must be reachable with a mittened hand in extreme cold. The mitten-hand button test — wearing a thick mitten and attempting to fasten the deel — is the final quality assessment.
Risk level: Endangered · Mongolia national ICH list; Mongolian traditional costume nomination in progress
The khana (хана) is the folding lattice wall panel that forms the structural sidewall of a Mongolian ger — the most engineered component of the world's most sophisticated demountable dwelling system.
The toono (тооно) is the carved circular crown wheel at the apex of a Mongolian ger — the only carved wooden element in the entire structure, and the most symbolically loaded: it is simultaneously the smoke hole, the skylight, the compass…
The khökhüür (хөхүүр) is the Mongolian leather vessel used for the production and storage of airag — fermented mare's milk, the central beverage and ritual substance of Mongolian nomadic life.
The uni (уни) are the bent roof poles that radiate from the toono crown wheel to the top of the khana lattice wall, forming the conical roof structure of the ger.
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Mongolian esgii (эсгий) is the primary structural and insulating material of nomadic life — used for ger wall panels, floor coverings, sleeping mats, saddlery, and winter clothing.
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