Tent (Lat. tentus, 'stretched,' from tendere). Tents have been used since very early times as an advance upon cave-dwellings, especially amongst nomadic tribes. The skins of animals, or leaves, or bark formed the earliest coverings, textile fabrics being substituted as civilisation advanced. Bible patriarchs always dwelt in tents, probably much the same as the modern Arab tents, which are large structures, very rude in form and of small height, but covering a considerable area. The covering is felted goat-skins. The Jewish Tabernacle was a large tent, and had a covering of rams'-skins and badgers'-skins (new translation, seal-skins). The Nineveh sculptures show the tent of King Sennacherib, like modern tents supported by ropes. The manufacture of goatskin tents was an established industry in the time of St Paul, who took part in it. The early Greek tents were made of skins, each accommodating two soldiers. Alexander the Great is said to have had a pavilion of extraordinary magnificence. Its roof, one mass of gilded embroidery, was sustained by eight pillars covered with gold. In the centre was the royal throne; and 100 beds could be made up within the temporary edifice. The Roman tent was made of canvas or some such material, supported by two upright posts carrying a ridge pole. Each held ten soldiers with their decanus or corporal. In Persia many tribes live entirely in hemispherical felt tents much decorated and with handsome door hangings. Chinese tents are usually of matting, of great size, and often very comfortable. The American Indians' wigwam is a conical tent of bark, mats, or skins on poles; and the so-called wigwams in which the thousand delegates of one of the American political parties sometimes meet, as at Chicago in 1892, are simply enormous tents. The tents of Gypsy tent-dwellers are stretched on rods bent into hoop shape. Like canoeing and caravanning, camping out in tents is a popular way of holidaying for healthy young men not unwilling to rough it a little; see Lowndes, Gypsy Tents and how to use them (1890); Macdonell, Camping Out (1892).
Except in tropical or very inclement climates tents are not carried by European armies now in any large numbers. Troops are billeted in villages or bivouacked. A few tents for the senior officers, for offices, guards, and hospitals are provided in the equipment of British troops operating in Europe, and in peace manoeuvres a sufficient number is provided for all ranks. In India too this provision is always made. The European tents generally used are three in number: the hospital marquee, dimensions 30 feet long, 15 feet broad, and 15 feet high; sides, 5 feet high; has two poles; weighs in its valise with poles, four large and 180 small pins, and two mallets—512 lb. dry, 660 lb. wet. It accommodates ten sick in beds or sixteen without. The circular bell-tent has a diameter at the base of 12½ feet, and is 10 feet high, taking sixteen men, and weighs about 74 lb. dry, 90 wet. The pole is in two pieces like those of the hospital marquee, and forty-two pins with two mallets go with each tent. Both these tents may be floored with wood or tarpaulin, and if the interior is dug out are much more commodious. They are made of sail canvas. The tente d'abri, or shelter tent, consists of two sheets, two poles, and seven pins; weighs 11 lb. dry, 16 lb. wet; and takes two or three men lying down. Each carries a part of the tent. They were used in the Nile expedition of 1884. In India a large double-roofed square tent is always used, the upper roof projecting so as to form verandas. The sides are vertical and 5 feet high, kept rigid by short poles, and there is one large pole in the centre. Each accommodates sixteen soldiers or twelve sick. The Durbar tents of the Indian government are very large and beautifully made. Those used by the government officials are also much more commodious than ordinary tents.