84 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY | BULL, 77 
However, it unquestionably belonged to people of a tribe who reared 
and occupied similar structures in the valley of the Missouri as late 
as the latter half of the nineteenth century. 
Other quite similar ruins a short distance north of the city of 
Omaha were examined by Gilder. Many objects of bone, stone, and 
pottery were discovered. Caches were encountered, and to quote 
from his account of the work: “The caches within the house sites 
are smaller in diameter near the top than at the bottom, the latter 
part flaring out somewhat in the manner of a large earthen pot. 
The bottom of the caches are rounded, and the walls are almost as 
hard as fired clay. In the very bottom of each cache was a quantity 
of dust, or earth as fine as dust (not compact as at other points), 
in which were found small arrowpoints, flint blades, shell beads, and 
flint flakes. In each case where the cache was found within the 
house circle it occurred close under the western wall, back of the 
fireplace and exactly opposite the entrance to the lodge, the latter 
in every instance facing the east.” (Gilder, (2), p. 716.) 
Before closing this brief sketch of the Omaha villages and forms 
of structures, it will be of interest to quote from the writings of one 
who was intimately acquainted with the people of whom he wrote. 
Referring to their various types of habitations, he says: 
“The primitive domiciles of the Omaha were chiefly (1) lodges 
of earth or, more rarely, of bark or mats, and (2) skin lodges or 
tents. It may be observed that there were no sacred rites con- 
nected with the earth lodge-building or tent-making among the 
Omaha and Ponka. When earth lodges were built, the people did 
not make them in a tribal circle, each man erecting his lodge where 
he wished; yet kindred commonly built near one another. The 
earth lodges were made by the women, and were intended principally 
for summer use, when the people were not migrating or going on the 
hunt... Earth lodges were generally used for large gatherings, such 
as feasts, councils, or dances .. . On a bluff near the Omaha agency 
I found the remains of several ancient earth lodges, with entrances 
on the southern sides. Two of these were 75 feet and one was 100 
feet in diameter. In the center of the largest there was a hollow 
about 3 feet deep and nearly 4 feet below the surface outside the 
lodge. 
“The Omaha sometimes make bark lodges for summer occupancy, 
as did the Iowa and Sak.” (Dorsey, (1), pp. 269-271.) 
Referring to the more temporary structure, the skin tipi: “The 
tent was used when the people were migrating, and also when they 
were traveling in search of the buffalo. It was also the favorite 
abode of a household during the winter season, as the earth lodge was 
generally erected in an exposed situation, selected on account of 
