On the origin of traditional types of housing Buryats

Is a relevant topic in modern science. Its solution will be pos sible thanks to new archeological research in the Baikal region. The present paper attempts to identify the original sources of traditional types of Buryat dwellings. The author analyzes the traditional types of Buryat dwellings based on the data from diverse sources (archaeological, linguistic, archival and others) and existing concepts of the dwellings genesis spread among the peoples of Siberia, including the Buryats. In order to achieve this aim, the author considers portable and permanent dwellings of the Buryats and traces their genetic roots in vari ous ancient and medieval cultures of southern Siberia and ad jacent territories. Results: Dwellings inherited from before the Turkic popula tion of Southern Siberia, in the author’s opinion, include coni cal buildings ursa and buhaug, which are essentially round at the base of the frame constructions covered, depending on season, with either leather or birch bark. Ancient dwellings of the Mongolian peoples had a semi-dugout frame-pole construc tion on the basis of which there appeared tormo ger dwell ings. The four-end polygonal log yurts, bulgaahаn, with an open hearth in the center of the home, according to the au thor, are the result of borrowing relevant sample dwellings of Sayano-Altai Turks by the ancestors of the Buryats. On the ba sis of half dugouts frame-pole construction and dwellings borrowed from Yenisei, the Kyrgyzes created yurts with the roof resting on the supporting pillars. Felt tents are likely to have come in use due to changes in economic activity on the part of the Buryat ancestors, namely their forced transition from a predominantly farming subsistence (taiga hunting) to nomad ism. Due to development of cattle-breeding economy, felt yurts of the Eastern-Mongolian type were included into the housing and residential complex of Buryat ancestors, with this type of felt yurts perceived from the Eastern Mongols. Histori cally, a variety of types of Buryat housing appeared due to the existence of various forms of nomadic cattle breeding, which developed as a result of their adaptation to the ecolog ical niches of the Baikal region. Conclusion. The study shows that traditional types of Buryat housing are the legacy of past cultures of the Baikal region. They were included into housing and residential complex of Buryat ancestors due to both original development and bor rowings.