The Indians had two types of dwellings that distinguished them from other peoples - tipi and wigwam. They have features peculiar to the people who used them. They are also adapted to the typical occupations of people and the environment.
To each according to his needs.
The homes of nomads and sedentary tribes are different. The former prefer tents and huts, while the latter are more convenient for stationary buildings or half dugouts. If we talk about the dwellings of hunters, then they often could see animal skins. North American Indians - a people who were characterized by a large number of varieties of houses. Each group had its own.
For example, Navajos preferred half dugouts. They created an adobe roof and a corridor called "hogan" through which it was possible to enter inside. Former Florida residents built pile huts, and for the nomadic tribes from the Subarctic, the wigwam was the most convenient. In the colder time of the year it was covered with hide, and in the warm - with birch bark.
Scale and Strength
The Iroquois built a framework of wood bark that could last up to 15 years. Usually, during this period, the community lived near selected fields. When the land wore out, relocation occurred. These buildings were quite high. They could reach 8 meters in height, with a width of 6 to 10 m, and their length was sometimes 60 meters or more. In this regard, such dwellings were nicknamed long houses. The entrance here was located in the end part. Not far away was a picture depicting a totem of a kind, an animal that patronized and protected him. The home of the Indians was divided into several compartments, each lived a couple, forming a family. Everyone had their own hearth. There were bunks near the walls for sleeping.
Settlement and nomadic settlements
Pueblo tribes built fortified houses of stones and bricks. The yard was surrounded by a semicircle or a circle of buildings. The Native American people built entire terraces on which houses could be built in several tiers. The roof of one dwelling became a platform outside for another, located on top.
People who chose forests for life built wigwams. This is a domed portable home for the Indians. It was distinguished by its small size. The height, as a rule, did not exceed 10 feet, however, up to thirty residents were placed inside. Now such buildings are used for ritual purposes. It is very important not to confuse them with tipi. For nomads, such a design was quite convenient, since it did not have to put much effort into the construction. And you could always move the house to a new territory.
Design features
During the construction, trunks were used that bent well and were rather thin. To bind them, they used elm or birch bark, mats made of cane or reeds. Corn leaves and grass were also suitable. The nomad wigwam was covered with cloth or skin. To prevent them from slipping, they used a frame outside, trunks or poles. The inlet was covered with a curtain. The walls were sloping and vertical. Layout - round or rectangular. To expand the building, it was pulled into an oval, making several holes for the exit of smoke. For the pyramidal shape, the installation of straight poles is characteristic, which are connected at the top.
Similar model
The house of the Indians, similar to a tent, was nicknamed tipi. He had poles, from which a skeleton of a conical shape was obtained. For the formation of tires used bison skins. The hole on top was designed specifically so that the smoke from the fire went out into the street. During the rain, it was covered with a blade. The walls were decorated with drawings and signs, which meant belonging to one or another owner. Tipi really resembles a lot of tepees, which is why they are often confused. The Indian people also used this kind of buildings quite often both in the North, in the Southwest and the Far West, traditionally for nomadic purposes.
Dimensions
They were also built in a pyramidal or conical shape. The diameter of the base was up to 6 meters. Forming poles reached a length of 25 feet. The tire was made from rawhide. On average, 10 to 40 animals had to be killed to create coverage. When the North American Indians began to interact with the Europeans, a trade exchange began. They got a canvas, which was more lightweight. Both skin and fabric have their drawbacks, so they often created combined products. Pins made of wood were used as fasteners; from below, with ropes, the cover was tied to pegs sticking out of the ground. Especially for the movement of air, a gap was left. As in the wigwam, there was a hole for the exit of smoke.
Useful devices
A distinctive feature is that there were valves that regulate air draft. To stretch them to the lower corners, leather belts were used. Such an Indian home was quite comfortable. It was possible to attach a tent or another building of the same type, which greatly expanded the internal area. From a strong wind, a belt descended from above, which served as an anchor. Lining was laid below the walls, having a width of up to 1.7 m. It retained internal heat, protecting people from the outside cold. During the rain, a semicircular ceiling was pulled, which was called the "ozan".
Exploring the buildings of different tribes, you can see that each of them is different in its own peculiarity peculiar only to it. The number of poles is not the same. They connect in different ways. The pyramid formed by them can be either inclined or straight. At the base there is an ovoid, round or oval shape. The tire is cut in a variety of options.
Other popular types of buildings
Another interesting home for the Indians is Wikipedia, which is also often identified with a wigwam. The dome-shaped building is a hut in which mainly Apaches lived. It was covered with pieces of cloth and grass. They were often used for temporary purposes to hide. Covered with branches, mats, put on the steppe outskirts. The Athabascans who inhabited Canada preferred this type of construction. It was perfect when the army was put forward for battle and needed a temporary place to stay in order to take cover and hide the fire.
Navajo settled in the Hogans. And also in summer houses and dugouts. Hogan has a circular section, the walls form a cone. Often there are square structures of this kind. The door was located in the eastern part: it was believed that the sun brings good luck into the house through it. Also, the building is of great cult significance. There is a legend that tells that the hogan was first built in the spirit in the form of a coyote. Beavers helped him. They were engaged in construction in order to provide housing for the first people. In the middle of the five-pointed pyramid was a fork pole. The faces had three angles. The space between the beams was filled with earth. The walls were so dense and strong that they could effectively protect people from winter weather.
In the front was the lobby where religious ceremonies were held. Residential buildings were large. In the XX century, Navajos began to build structures with 6 and 8 corners. This is due to the fact that then, not far from them, the railway functioned. It was possible to get sleepers and use them in construction. There was more space and space, despite the fact that the house was pretty strong. In short, the habitats of the Indians are quite diverse, but each of them performed the functions assigned to it.