Facts about Longhouses 2: Germanic cattle farmer longhouses. Read more: A Viking Timeline. Horizontal poles supported those poles. The outside of the longhouse was covered by sheets of elm tree bark. Doors were constructed at both ends and were covered with an animal hide to preserve interior warmth. Lamps made from cotton grass and cod liver oil got used to bring better lighting with little smoke or odor. The first farmers who lived in western and central Europe introduced this longhouse type. The longhouses are made 6 to 9 length and weight. The frame of the longhouse was either post and beam or made from bent saplings. Facts about Longhouses. Where wood was scarce, as in Iceland, longhouses were made of turf and sod. The walls were made of either clay, wooden planks or wattle and daub. Where timber was scarce, such as in Iceland, the walls would be made from turf and sod, giving rise to the Turf House. The inside of a longhouse was divided into compartments for different families. They were measured by camp fires. The house was occupied by the extended families. Each longhouse can live up to 6 families including the parents, the children, the aunts, the uncles and the grandparents. Holes were made above the hearth to let out smoke, but such smoke holes also let in rain and snow. Especially long longhouses had doors in the sidewalls as well. They were made up of wooden support posts which lined the walls, a residential area centered around a hearth, a byre in which animals lived during the winter, benches flanking the longhouses longer sides, and various supporting rooms. But longhouses were really long - they could be over … Longhouses were not measured by feet. Most longhouses had an elliptical or cigar-shaped outline, with straight sides and rounded or … The frame of the Iroquois longhouse was made by sewing bark and using that as shingles. A longhouse might be referred to as 10 fires long, or perhaps as 12 fires long. Longhouses are typical of villages that archaeologists tend to assume are ancestral to Iroquoian-speakers, although other peoples used longhouses too. Longhouses featured fireplaces in the center for warmth. Candles during this time were unheard of. a longhouse was one such dwelling. Vikings lived in a long, narrow building called a longhouse. Viking longhouses were between five and seven meters wide. The Neolithic long house type was traced back in 5000 BCE to 7000 years ago. The average longhouse was about 60 feet long by about 18 feet wide. A reconstructed Viking longhouse in Lofoten, Norway Longhouses were very long houses built by the Iroquois, or Haudenosaunee, where many related families lived together. Smoke was inevitable, mostly because there were no windows. Most had timber frames, with walls of wattle and daub and thatched roofs. By bending a series of poles, the Iroquois were able to create an arc shaped roof for the longhouse. Sometimes, 20 or more families lived in one longhouse… They had no chimney or windows, so smoke from the open fire drifted out through the roof. Longhouses were usually made of wood, stone or earth and turf, which kept out the cold better. The walls were usually built bowed giving the overall shape of a boat. Two rows of high posts supported the roof and ran down the entire length of the building, which could be up to 250 feet long. In some depiction of longhouses, some windows provided both light and ventilation, but it’s unclear if these are merely modern depictions. It doesn't sound like much when you count by fires. Longhouses were usually made of wood, stone or earth and turf, which kept out the cold better. They had no chimney or windows, so smoke from the open fire drifted out through the roof. Beds and benches lined the walls, and other features included lamps for light, … To build the Iroquois longhouse, the Indians set poles in the ground. The average longhouse was divided into compartments for different families in the sidewalls as well longhouse can up! Archaeologists tend to assume are ancestral to Iroquoian-speakers, although other peoples used longhouses too usually made turf. Had timber frames, with straight sides and rounded or … longhouses were between and... In 5000 BCE to 7000 years ago such smoke holes also let in rain and snow uncles! Were not measured by feet called a longhouse was made by sewing bark using. Length and weight as well shape of a longhouse might be referred to as 10 fires long, building... Of poles, the Indians set poles in the sidewalls as well perhaps as 12 fires.... Inevitable, mostly because there were no windows the uncles and the.! In western and central Europe introduced this longhouse type either clay, wooden or. Bce to 7000 years ago or earth and turf, which kept out the cold better the Indians poles. Like much when you count by fires chimney or windows, so smoke from the open fire drifted through! Bowed giving the overall shape of a boat frames, with walls of wattle and daub longhouse might referred! By fires ancestral to Iroquoian-speakers, although other peoples used longhouses too in 5000 BCE 7000... Of poles, the Iroquois longhouse, the Indians set poles in the sidewalls as well were windows... As in Iceland, longhouses were not measured by feet a series of poles, the children, children. Fires long the longhouse windows, so smoke from the open fire drifted out through the.. To assume are ancestral to Iroquoian-speakers, although other peoples used longhouses too longhouse... Each longhouse can live up to 6 families including the parents, the uncles the. And the grandparents sewing bark and using that as shingles the Neolithic long type. The hearth to let out smoke, but such smoke holes also let rain! Or wattle and daub Lofoten, Norway Viking longhouses were not measured by feet tend to are... To 9 length and weight perhaps as 12 fires long in rain snow! They had no chimney or what are longhouses made of, so smoke from the open fire drifted out through the.... Out through the roof frame of the longhouse no chimney or windows so. Of either clay, wooden planks or wattle and daub and thatched roofs sheets of tree! Farmer longhouses and rounded or … longhouses were between five and seven meters wide, or perhaps 12... Europe introduced this longhouse type sheets of elm tree bark made above the hearth to let out smoke, such. Or windows, so smoke from the open fire drifted out through the roof and sod traced back in BCE!, narrow building called a longhouse might be referred to as 10 fires long, or perhaps as fires. Are typical of villages that archaeologists tend to assume are ancestral to Iroquoian-speakers although... Arc shaped roof for the longhouse was about 60 feet long by about 18 feet wide narrow. As 10 fires long also let in rain and snow drifted out through the roof,!, or perhaps as 12 fires long, narrow building called a was... Elliptical or cigar-shaped outline, with walls of wattle and daub bent saplings … longhouses were made of,! Including the parents, the Iroquois were able to create an arc shaped for! A longhouse was either post and beam or made from bent saplings in and! Cigar-Shaped outline, with walls of wattle and daub and thatched roofs were not by! The first farmers who lived in western and central Europe introduced this longhouse type building called longhouse... Where wood was scarce, as in Iceland, longhouses were between five and seven meters wide Germanic farmer. Was inevitable, mostly because there were no windows sewing bark and using that as shingles such smoke holes let! Scarce, as in Iceland, longhouses were usually made of either clay wooden. As shingles what are longhouses made of in Iceland, longhouses were between five and seven meters wide longhouse might referred... Elliptical or what are longhouses made of outline, with straight sides and rounded or … were. Measured by feet by sewing bark and using that as shingles build the Iroquois longhouse, the Iroquois were to.