ABSTRACT
The kibitka is one of the most advanced prefabricated and demountable dwellings ever to evolve in a traditional culture. The character of the kibitka is determined by the geometry and construction of the tent frame rather than by the covering. The roughly hemispherical shape of the Turkic and Mongolian kibitkas otters little wind resistance, reducing drag and permitting the use of a light strong frame. Throughout the vast area extending from the Volga River and the Anatolian plateau in the west, to the Khingan mountains in the east, the form and details of the kibitka are remarkably uniform. The kibitka is confined to the Turkish and Mongolian peoples who live on the northern steppes of Central Asia. In Western Asia, the distribution of the kibitka is less uniform. Turkmen were responsible for extending the domain of the kibitka onto the Anatolian plateau, Syria and Northern Iran.
