Earth-Hut Villages

Earth-Hut Villages. . Pioneer archeologist Dr. William H. Over mapped two 1600s' Omaha earth-hut villages located along the nearby banks of the Big Sioux River. He noted that the south village was "a very old site" and that the larger village "lying 500 yds. to the north is more recent.", Over's sketch of the two villages included a total of 88 earth huts. He observed that the Omaha "habitations are smaller than the Earth Lodges of the Rees," the Arikara Indians who lived along the Missouri River., Omaha earth huts were built of sod and timber with a round hole in the center, which served as a chimney and an opening to admit light. A six- to ten-foot long passageway entrance faced east. Skins were hung at the outer and inner entrances for protection against the wind and cold., By 1500 the Omaha had migrated west out of Ohio and later turned north up the Mississippi River where they eventually encountered the Sioux. A lengthy war began between the two tribes. Dr. Over wrote that about 1750 'the Sioux routed the Omaha from the Sioux Falls region."