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earth lodge
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Earth lodge dwelling of the Plains tribes of North America, photograph by Edward S. Curtis, c. 1908.
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Earth lodge dwelling of the Plains tribes of North America, photograph by Edward S. Curtis, c. 1908.
Earth lodge dwelling of the Plains tribes of North America, photograph by Edward S. Curtis, c. 1908.

An earth lodge is a dwelling constructed of earth or sod, often supported by a wooden frame and partially built below ground level. These structures were common among village tribes of the Indigenous peoples of the Great Plains.12

Earth lodges were significantly larger than tepees, typically measuring 40 to 60 feet (12 to 18 meters) in diameter. They had a dome shape, with roofs and walls covered in earth, and were entered through a covered passage. These dwellings generally housed three-generation families and were considered the property of the women in the household. Earth lodge villages were often fortified with defensive ditches and palisades.2

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3 Britannica Sources
  1. earth lodge
  2. Indigenous peoples of the Great Plains - Settlement patterns and housing
  3. earth house

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