Marco Polo in Central Asia: 45: Religion, customs and manners of Tartars.

Now, I have begun speaking of Tartars, I will tell you many things about them.

During winter, they live in plains and warm situations, where there are abundant herbage for their cattle.  In summer they retire to cool places on mountains and high valleys where water is abundant. 

They have wooden houses covered with felts, of a round shape, which they convey with them wherever they go; for they have them so well bound with twigs as to be easily carried.  Whenever they take down and set up a house, the gate is always placed to the south.  They have wagons well covered with black felts, that if it should rain the whole day no water would reach within.  These wagons are drawn by oxen and camels. On the top they place their wives and children.

The ladies buy, sell, and perform all the works necessary for their husbands, who do nothing but hunting, hawking and go to war.

They live on flesh and milk, and hunted game, and likewise rats of Pharaoh, [1]which are found here in great numbers.  They eat also flesh of camels, dogs and indeed of every kind of animals, and drink mare's milk.

They shun the seduction of married females, as a most vile and shameful act.  The wives are very faithful, and manage the household well.  Every man takes as many wives as he pleases, even to a hundred, if he can maintain them.  They hold the first wife as principal and most respectable.  They scruple not to marry their cousins.  If the father died the eldest son may take all his wives except his own mother.  He marries also the widow of his deceased brother.  They celebrate their marriage with great festival.

The Tartars, who believe in a deity of sublime and heavenly nature burn incense in cencers to him, and pray that he may preserve them in health of mind and body.  They have also one called Nacygai whom they call their earthly god who guard their children, cattle and corn.  They fashion him of felt and cloth, keep him in their house, and pray him with great honour and reverence.  They make for him also a wife and children of cloth, placing the first one his left hand and the latter in front. Before eating they take the fat meat and anoint his mouth with it; they lay bread before the door of his chamber.  Having done this, they say that their god and family have had their share, and sit down to their own meals.  They drink mare's milk, but it is in such a manner that it seems white wine, being of an agreeable taste and called chemius. The wealthy wear rich robes of gold and silk with varied furs of ermines, sable and fox.  Their harness is beautiful and of great value.  Their arms are bows, arrows, swords and clubs; but the first is more used than the others, because they are excellent archers.  On their back they wear armour of buffalo and other very strong hides.

I will tell you the manner in which they maintain justice.  If a man has stolen an article of little value, they give him seven lashes, or seventeen or twenty seven going thus always up, to three hundred and seven, and many die under them.  If he steals a horse or anything else for which he deserves to die, he is cut through the middle with a sword, yet if he can pay nine times the value of what he has stolen, he is allowed to live.  Every lord or other man who owns oxen or any cattle, makes them be marked with his seal, and then allows them to feed on the plains or among the mountains; and whoever finds one straying brings it to him whose mark is upon it.  The sheep and lambs are, however guarded by the shepherds.  Their cattle are remarkably large, fat and beautiful.  They have another wonderful custom.  When, out of two men, have 

one has son, and the other a daughter, dead at the age of four, they marry them together, and represent the union by cards, which they set on fire, and when they see the flame and smoke ascending, they make a great shout and run backward and forward, saying that the dead are going to their children in the other world, and are to be husband and wife there.  They do more, for they point on cards the similitudes of men, horses, cloths, bezants and harness, and then burn them, and they say that all these things will be possessed by their children in the other world.


Notes:-

1. Rats of Pharaoh: Gerbil or Hamster native to that region.

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