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What Is The Nomad’s Black Tent?

black tent

What is a black tent?

The nomadic lifestyle may be interesting for those who have never seen the nomads of Iran. You may be interested in knowing what kind of housing the nomads use. Have you heard of nomadic tents? What are nomadic tents called?

Persian handmade rugs are the main products offered by the Vernacarpets online collection, but this article is for those who would like to know about the life of nomads. So stay with us. 

A-replica-of-a-black-nomadic-tent

A replica of a black nomadic tent

The black tent(Siyah-Chador) is a nomadic handicraft woven with goat hair. This handwoven fabric is woven in the provinces of Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari, Kohgaloye-Boyer-Ahmad, Ilam, and Fars.

These tents are the art of noble nomad women. They have long been the focus of foreign tourists. Black tents are the main space that nomads choose for their lives. Since nomads are always on the move, they stay in the yaylak and qishlaq under these black tents.
The main material for the black tent is goat hair, which is dark black. The reason for using black goat hair is that the goats of these nomads are of a dark breed. Its black color keeps the tent cool in summer and prevents the cold from entering it in winter.

Tents are woven from goat hair

                  Black tents are woven from goat hair

Another reason why the black tent is woven from goat hair is that goat hair is available. Also, goat hair, due to its high fat content, has a very good property that retains moisture and water during rain and rainwater does not pass through it. Also, according to research, snakes and vermin cannot pass through goat hair and enter the tent.
If we want to compare the black tents of nomadic tents with tarpaulin tents, we must say that these black tents woven from goats are lighter than tarpaulin tents. They are also easier to assemble and carry. That is why black nomadic tents are more expensive than tarpaulin tents.

You can see this article to familiar with other nomad’s hand-wovens:

Getting to Know Some Handwoven Nomads, Salt Bag, Chanteh and Khorjin

Specification of nomad black tent

Black tents are erected singly or in groups on the slopes of mountains to protect them from wind and rain. These tents consist of two parts. The upper part, which is the roof, is woven from goat hair, and the other part, which consists of walls, is called chiq, and is made of a combination of reeds and goat hair.

 

Chiqs-or-reeds-used-for-blackening-the-chador

Chiqs or reeds used for black tent

 

Combination-of-handmade-carpet-and-black-chador

Combination of handmade carpet and black tent

The reeds are hollow and, when it rains, they are considered insulating due to high humidity. They expand and stick together, thus resisting water from entering the interior. After drying, the reeds contract and air easily enters and exits the tent. In this way, the air inside the tent is ventilated. In addition to housing nomads, these black tents are also used for historical sites, ecotourism, villas, gardens, and local exhibitions.

 

inside-the-black-tent

                                   Inside the black tent

 

torbat-jam-rug-1.5tj507005

Abadeh Rug

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What sizes are black tents woven in?

  • 12 square meters > width 3 m, length 4 m
  • 24 square meters > width 4 m, length 6 m
  • 48 square meters > width 6 m, length 8 m

What are the stages of the black tent?

The tools that are used to weave the black tent are horizontal loom, comb, stik, etc. The production method is as follows: first, the warp threads are opened on the ground and spun around. Nomadic women are responsible for washing, beating, and spinning goat hair so that it becomes fibers. Men are also responsible for picking goat hair, as well as preparing weaving tools and erecting tents.

Each black tent is made up of pieces called ‘lat’. Each lat is a strip woven from goat hair. The width of each lat is between 40 and 60 centimeters and their length is 6, 10 meters, sometimes reaching 15 meters. After the lats are prepared, women sew them together on both sides to become a black tent.

Black-goat-hair-is-used-to-weave-black-chador.

Black goat hair is used to weave black tent

 

weaving-of-Persian-black-tent

                                Weaving of Persian black tent

Inside-the-black-tent

The lats or strips that make up the black tent

How to maintain a black tent?

  • Keep away from fire.
  • Keep away from sharp and pointed objects.
  • Use lukewarm water and ordinary detergents to wash the black tent.

Final words

Black tents are handicrafts whose weave is made of goat hair and are the main place of residence of noble Iranian nomads. With the urbanization of nomads, the use of black tents among nomads is not as common as in the past. But these days traditional exhibitions, lodges, and even foreign tourists are very interested in them.

In this article, we have tried to tell you about the black tent of the nomads. If you also have any experience or memories about nomadic life, please share them with us. Also, if you are planning to buy a black nomadic tent, you can share it with us.

Arabic black tent

                                    Arabic black tent

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