Online Activities: Iroquoian Longhouse
By studying the archaeological remains of an Iroquoian longhouse, we can find out details of Iroquoian life 500 years ago.
We know that the doorways are at the end of the house; we also know that just inside of the doorways are the storage areas in which food was kept above ground in large bark casks.
Food was also stored in pits which were dug into the ground inside of the longhouses. Food storage pits were lined with bark and grasses to keep the maize, beans and squash safe from mold, dampness and rodents. While the pits were being used, they were covered with bark lids so that people could walk inside the house without worrying about falling into open pits. Once they were no longer needed, the pits were filled in with garbage and ash from the fires.
We know that there are two families for every central hearth in the longhouse and that each family had its own space by the fireside. By counting the number of actual and estimated hearths in the longhouse, it is possible to figure out how many families lived inside each house. We can also identify the partitioned apartments inside the longhouse, each with benches or platforms which provided private space for its occupants.
The Iroquoian longhouse was a well constructed building which could have been occupied for over twenty years. It provided a durable home for harsh winters, and a cool residence, providing relief from the summer heat.
This activity is just a brief introduction to Iroquoian architecture based on archaeological evidence. Now that you have completed this exercise, you have a better understanding of both the archaeology and the every day life of the Ontario Iroquoians.
Thank you for completing Homes of the Past: An Iroquoian Longhouse!
