The Pawnee Indians lived in large, dome shaped, earth-covered lodges. Skin Tepees were used for buffalo hunting. The earth lodge evolved from a long rectangle house to a circular shaped structure as the years moved on. To build an earth lodge 10 to 15 posts were set in the ground, each post was approximately 5 ¾’ high and they were each spaced 10’ apart in a circle. The beams were laid on top of the posts. In the center of the circle, four 11-16’ posts were placed. The frame of the structure was covered with layers of willow branches, grass and earth. Saplings were laid horizontally to cover the four beams in the middle. A hole was left open at the top of the tepee to make a chimney and skylight. The entrance was made with posts and had a door made of buffalo rawhide which was stretched on a willow frame that swung inward. At night they secured the door by wedging a piece of wood between the two posts. The fireplace was in the center of the structure in a hole surrounded by rocks. The ground level of the ground was around 3’ below ground level.
A Pawnee teepee:
