Akaraarataa'u'

Akaraarataa'u'. Earth Lodge. , The Pawnee's traditional home was the earth lodge, the intricate construction of which was accompanied by religious ceremony and poignant stories. Villages were generally developed near a water source on high ground. Earth Lodges can vary in size between 30-80 feet in diameter. The lodges center poles also varied based on the size of the lodge but always featured four semi-cardinal directional poles. These lodge poles were painted to tell the story of Pawnee creation and represented astronomical beings that were created by Atias Tirawa (Father Creator). , The door of each lodge was placed to the east to ensure the blessings from the rising sun fall upon an altar with a bison skull within its interior. The exterior frame was covered first with smaller poles, tied with willows, covered with thatch, then packed with earth. Entryways were long which helped to keep out the elements as well as protect horses in severely inclement weather. , Within the lodge, interior woven mats were hung on the main room perimeter to provide privacy. Bed frames were constructed and covered with hides for comfort. The lodge. had a semi-recessed base created by digging approximately three feet below ground level. This insulated the interior from extreme temperatures. As many as 50 people with a family unit could live in a lodge and had designated living quarters based on age.