Pit House Reconstruction

Using modern equipment, shovels, picks, and axes, two archaeologists reconstructed a shallow pit house.  All together the structure took approximately 30 man-hours.  The photos below do their best to provide a visual of what day-to-day life could have been like living in this basic structure.

The structure consists of readily available materials.  A shallow pit was constructed approximately 15 feet in diameter with a small ramp exiting out of the shallow foot and a half depression.  The basic frame of the structure consists of two center posts and a cross piece at the top.  Twelve additional pine posts were set out in a spoke like arrangement, radiating from the two center posts.  Pine framing was used due to its lighter weight and the fact that it is much easier to cut and transport than juniper.  Juniper is basically the only other material used.  It can be seen stuffed in between the pine poles.  Larger branches were used as cross pieces before using smaller branches and leaves for filling the gaps.  Although not airtight nor water proof by any means, the construction technique served as a good wind break and managed to resist a light sprinkle.  Obviously not a permanent or winterized structure the pit house did management to keep out some elements.  Sealed with adobe one can imagine that it would serve as a hardy structure.

Two weeks were spent living in the structure with some obvious modern conveniences of course.  During the stay several patterns began to emerge.  One it was hard to keep the floor level.  It was not a prepared surface and as a result loose sand was kicked up constantly.  The floor nor the sidewalls or the fire pit retained a smooth even appearance.  Also, during the process of daily activities such a cooking and leisure it became convenient to carve resting places out of the wall and floor as well as outside of the structure next to an external fire pit to stabilizing various vessels used in daily activities.  This may provide alternate reason to the placement of postholes and other unknown features encountered during excavation of the real thing. Also, the smoke associated with the fire hearth regularly exited through the entryway opening. As a result the structure was clear of smoke and one could go about cooking over the fire without having ones breathing obstructed by smoke.
 

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