ESKIMO HOMES

The Eskimos have two different types of homes. One was the igloo. The igloo is made by cutting snow into blocks. Then they stack the blocks to make a dome.They lived in this house when ever there is snow.The second house is the tipi. This is the house they lived in when it was spring and summer. It is made by bending and putting long poles together. Then cover it with caribou and seal skins.There is a hole in the top for smoke from fires to escape.

The dimensions of the houses were both the same. The igloo is a dome shape. The tipi is also a dome, but covered in skins. The igloo ranges from quite small ( one to two people) to quite big (two to three families.) Sometimes there is a fishing hole in igloos. The igloo has two to five rooms. The tipi however, has one room and a fire pit.

The villages differ in ways. The Eskimos sometimes set their houses up along rivers.Sometimes the houses were put in a circle.The tipi could be taken down and transported by dogsled. The paintings worshipped elders and animals. Igloos were not always the same size. There were sometimes a huge tipi or igloo for dancing, celebration and sporting events.