Vardo (Romani Wagon)

Vardo (Romani Wagon)

A vardo is a traditional horse-drawn wagon used by British Romani people.

The design of the vardo included large wheels running outside the body of the van, which slopes outwards considerably towards the eaves. Originally Romanichals would travel on foot, or with light, horse-drawn carts, typical of other Romani groups or would build "bender" tents - so called because they were made from supple branches which they bent inwards to support a waterproof covering. The British Romani tradition of the vardo is seen as a high cultural point of both artistic design and a masterpiece of woodcrafters art.