The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-05-21
Built By Indians.

Built By Indians.
One OF the most interesting things to
be seen I'm the Peabody Museum OF Amer
ican Archaeology and Ethnology at Har-
ward is a very perfectly rendered model,
about eight inches high and some Y
inches In circumference, of typical In
dian earth lodge 1t is one Of group
OF models which illustrate the various
styles Of Indian building. including the
bark house the deerskin tent and the
mat-covered wigwam. The earth lodge
was distlng uished from these, however,
by being a permanent dwelling, and as
such was characteristic OF all the aborigi-
nal races from the Atlantic ocean TO the
Gulf Of Mexico.
Most OF these models were secured tor
the museum by Miss Alice G. Fletcher,
who has more lrst-hand knowledge OF
the American Indian than u. any other
white woman who ever lived. For
number OF years Miss Fletcher has been
the holder OF the Thaw fellowship at
| Harvard, which was established in 1890
| by Mrs Mary Copley Thaw, OF Pitts
| burg, i'm memory OF her husband, with
| the special object OF promoting work
/ and research relating TO the Indian race
| OF America" The special original Of the
earth lodge model was the "Mon-ohin-to.
or earth lodge OF the Omaha tribe, py
/ one of the members OF which, an old
| man who remembered the ancient ways.
| IT was built up under the supervision OF
Miss f. Jane Gay, Miss Fletcher's con-
stant companion in her work among the
| Indians Pains were taken to embody
/ every detail of proportion and construc-
| tion with the utmost eXactness so that II
| might be studied by future archaeologists,
! when the Indian earth lodge is entirely
| a thing of the past, with as much confi-
/ dence as If IL were a genuine survival
on one side only section of the roof
| and wall has been left uncovered. TO give
| a more complete idea OF how the lodges
were actually put together.
The Omahas who have given their
name to the largest city I'm Nebraska, are
| supposed TO have occupied the territory
west of the Mississippi river for about
/ two centuries. having been pushed west
| ward from the Ohio valley. The encroacn-
ments of civilization, the scarcity OF
/ game or the attacks of hostile tribes
/ from time to time forced them into a
| nomadic manner OF life and obliged them
| 20 make their homes I'm tents or wigwatns
\ which could be moved with all their con-
| tents at the shorest notice. Formerly,
| however. as Miss Fletcher has shown in
| her various writings on the Omahas, they
| lived in permanent villages, where per-
! haps 90 or 100 earth-covered houses would
/ be huddled together In n sheltered valley
| or bottom land in which corn, beans.
| pumpkins, and melons could be raised
under favorable conditions OF soil and
! climate A running stream was always
| near bV and the hills which usually sur
| rounded the settlement furnished a
vantage ground from which lookouts
could give notice OF the approach of
/ enemies
| In the construction OF the lodges which
| q bs x.fll
| with a straight projection on one side lor
: the tunuel-like entrance-was carefully
( drawn upon the ground. Within this out
! line the sod was removed and the earth
| well trampled by the feet OF the builders
! to form a solid flooring. round the edge
| OF the floor space was erected a row or
! poles close enough together TO support
| the walls and the caves. The central fire.
/ place was surrounded by a smaller circie
| OF taller poles TO support the upper por-
! ton OF dome-like roof. These poles
| both the taller ones In the inner and the
\ shorter ones i'm the outer circle, usually
/ had a natural crotch at the upper end by
| means OF which they were connected by
/ horizontal poles or beams A pyramid OF
| long poles completed the framework OF
/ the rool.. and shorter poles or slaUs
/ firmly together with willow withes. Then
/ the structure was closely and regularly
! covered with punches OF coarse. dried
] EIdtts anu ludhN Ailt Nilbt' was NVNtfh
/ with sods I'm double layer making the
| walls about two feet thick.
A circular opening IN the middle OF the
| roof served for both chimney and win
I dow. and a skin curtain or blanket hung
| az each end OF the entrance way, which
! was about eight or ten feet long. am
| swered az double door TO keep out wind
i and cold This entrance was called "I-ba-
4 ton" and the doors '"ri-zhe-be." The
| central opening or chimney was known as
| the "Ti-hu-kon." the fireplace was the
! "U-ue-dhe." and the posts around the
! fireplace were called ngdhe"
Both the men and the women were
! employed IN the construction OF the
| lodges though 90 the men alone was In
| trusted the work OF framing In the ccn--
| tral opening Of the roof. which was the
| most difficult part OF the whole under
! taking When finished. the lodge was
! usually spacious and comfortable
dwelling Inside. along the walls. were
| platforms OF reeds covered with skins.
! which served either as seats or beds
! Sometimes these couches were par
! titloncd OF by means OF blankets or
| skins. since IL was customary for sew
! eral families To occupy the same lodge.
! An idea OF their size may be gathered
! from Miss Fletcher's statement that she
| had frequently seen from goo 10 800 guests
gathered in a single lodge on some cere-
| monial occasions. The dimensions, how
! ever. varied according 90 circumstances.
"The exterior resembles a mound more
than a dwelling," Miss Fletcher adds.