Camel, Bactrian

The two-humped Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) of Afghanistan, northern China, Mongolia, and the former Soviet Union is valued for its resistance to dry conditions, its ability to travel for long periods with little water or food, and its hardiness to cold weather. While Mongols place great importance on the horse, they often prefer the camel for long-distance movement, across the Gobi Desert, for example. The camel was also the preferred beast on the Silk Road.

The camel was the favorite mount of the Turkish founders of the Seljuk empire (1038–1157), as illustrated by the fact that the Mongolian word for a gelded horse referred to a gelded camel among the Seljuks. Rashid al-Din (c. 1247–1318), the Persian historian,noted that the Turks first invaded Iran and other points in the Middle East because the area provided good grazing land for camels, that is, dry with limited but good grass.

Although camels generally are not considered a food source, some Asians eat camel meat, and shubat, fermented camel milk, is a Turkish favorite. Among the Kazakhs, who rank it second only to koumiss from mares in desirability, shubat is considered healthful, particularly for tuberculosis prevention and treatment. Kazakhs and other Asians find uses for camel leather as well.

In addition to its economic significance, the camel holds a special position in regional folklore. Camels are considered cantankerous, obstinate, and willful. Genghis Khan's mother compared him to a "randy camel bull snapping at the heels of its young" (Ligeti 1971: 47) after he killed his younger brother during a dispute. Despite its bad reputation, the camel is also considered spirited, and today the "white orphan camel colt" of the popular Mongolian folk song, abandoned by all, pulling up the rear with the heaviest load, has become the very symbol of Mongolia as it tries to catch up to the modern world despite its limitations.

Hare, John. (1998) The Lost Camels of Tartary : A Quest into Forbidden China. London: Little, Brown.

Ligeti, Louis, ed. (1971) Histoire Secrète des Mongols. Monumenta Linguae Mongolicae Collecta, no. 1. Budapest, Hungary: Akadémiai Kiadó.

Schafer, Edward. (1950) "The Camel in China Down to the Mongol Dynasty." Sinologica 2: 65–193.

Seitov, Z. S., K. I. Duysembayev, A. N. Khasenov, V. P. Cherepanova, and V. T. Velokobylenko. (1979) Kumys shubat (Kumiss and Camel Kumiss). 3d ed., edited by A. Ye. Orlovskaya. Almaty, Kazakhstan: Kaynar.

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