Native American Architecture Is Not What You Thought It Was

Native American Architecture Is Not What You Thought It Was

Aimee Heidelberg - May 5, 2023

Native American Architecture Is Not What You Thought It Was
Multi-story interior of an Earth Lodge. Laslovarga (2013).

Eastern Woodland Longhouses were Giant

Like their northwestern coastal counterparts, longhouses used by Eastern Woodland tribes were huge, even by modern standards. 20 or more families might live there, forming a clan, complete with their own mascot animal. Most longhouses were about 55 to 67 meters (about 180 to 220 feet) long. The longhouse was segmented into units of about 6 or 7 meters (around 20 feet) long, with a wide center aisle. Clan leaders assigned families to a segment on one side of the aisle, complete with their own sleeping platform and storage. Because nobody likes to stare at their neighbors for too long, each unit had a partition or curtain for a little privacy. Family units had to share a fire pit with the family across the aisle. Hopefully there was an agreement over who was supposed to clear the ashes out of the pit each week.

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