article

Chumash architecture: sweat lodges and houses

Journal of California and Great Basin anthropology17 (1) • Published In 1995 • Pages: 54-92

By: Gamble, Lynn Hunter.

Abstract
Lynn Gamble reviews the ethnographic, ethnohistoric, and archaeological literature, including some of her own work, to identify the distinguishing archaeological characteristics of Chumash houses and sweatlodges. Most of her archaeological examples date from the Late to Historic Periods. She determines sweatlodges tended to be larger than houses, lacked interior storage, had larger interior posts, had been burned, often had plastered floors and interior rims, and usually had their hearths in the southern section of the structure. Post holes for houses tend to be more numerous and most will be found along the outside rim of the floor. Smaller post holes found in the interior of the floor were probably used for beds or to create sleeping partitions.
Subjects
Archaeological excavation methods
Prehistory
Dwellings
Outbuildings
Furniture
Building interiors and arrangement
Heating and lighting equipment
Cultural stratigraphy
tradition
Late Southern California
HRAF PubDate
2000
Region
North America
Sub Region
Northwest Coast and California
Document Type
article
Evaluation
Creator Type
Archaeologist
Document Rating
4: Excellent Secondary Data
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
Sarah Berry ; 1998
Field Date
1969-1970 and 1986-1987
Coverage Date
1700 BP - 190 BP (A.D. 300 - A.D. 1810)
Coverage Place
Chumash, Calif., United States
Notes
Lynn Gamble
Includes bibliographical references (p. 90-92)
LCCN
80640525
LCSH
California--Antiquities