Earthlodges

Earthlodges were a type of home used by many tribes on the Great Plains. In the village of Mih-tutta-hang-kush, more than eighty of these homes stood, and today circular depressions on the ground indicate where the lodges once stood. An earthlodge was built with four heavy timbers erected in a square to provide a central framework, and this framework and the walls were covered with a layer of branches, then grass, and finally a layer of earth. A covered entry was on one side, and an opening in the roof served as a smoke hole or chimney. Other than working with the heavy timbers, most of the effort in building an earthlodge was done by women, and the women owned the earthlodges. Depending on its size, an earthlodge could house anywhere from eight to eighteen people.

North Dakota · United States