We are beginning the class chronologically with Native American Architecture. We took a trip to the Milwaukee Public Museum to look at the outstanding Native American exhibit, with it's wonderfully crafted and presented dioramas of the different types of architecture from pre-colonist America. The types displayed include: the Earth Lodge of the prairies and Northwest, the Pueblo of the Southwest, the Tipi of the Great Plains, the Longhouse of the Northeast, and the widespread Wigwam of the Northeast. I chose the Earth lodge to catalog and studie more in depth.
The Earth Lodge is dated back to 300 A.D. (Walker 22). Earth Lodges of the Southeast prairie, which is the type on display at the museum (shown here) were used in much the same way as the Longhouses of the Northeast. They were communal dwellings housing upwards of 40 people in a 40' diameter circular room, hard to imagine by todays standards. The only privacy allotted was from willow matt or leather partitions hung between each "house" where each family slept (Walker 23).As diagramed, the lodges were structured by to octagonal rings of heavy logs. The earth was dug out below them anywhere from 4 to 8 feet to utilize the warmth given off by the earth as well as to minimize draft. The lodges were skinned in sod, pine needles, willow brush, and so on. This skin was quite thick, especially on the Kalapoya Tribe style because they would walk on the roof and enter through the smoke hole at the top. The Mandan Tribe of the Southeast prairie put there entrance on the side(shown in the sketch below).
You bring up some very interesting points within your discussion about community and the built environment which are still salient today.
ReplyDeleteOne is the idea of the size of the structure and its use. Its size is not massive or large in our estimation, yet it would have served approximately 40 people. The limits of privacy as you mentioned are obviously different than our expectations. This brings into question the relationships and community that this type of building would have served. This is were the anthropologists begin to discuss the role of the community and the people working together for mutual support.
The other point that you addressed in the post was one of structure and design. I think that the concept of digging the structure into the ground to utilize the heat is something that is beginning to gain further attention in our time. Not only through lowering a house, but also through a heating systems that tap off the heat of the earth. The other item that you mention is that these houses were entered through the roof, which would be exceedingly challenging for the young and old? So what is the role of accessibility. How would this community have dealt with a person of different abilities? How do we today? Is that true of places outside the US?
For the styles that utilized a top entrance, it would have been for efficiency. One hole for two purposes means less holes. As far as the very young/old, I assume they would not go in and out often, and with assistance when they did. To my knowledge, no developed form of modern architecture uses rooftop entrances universally across the board. In-wall doors are used because they address people of all physical abilities.
ReplyDelete