Gilbert Wilson's 1934 study of the Hidatsa earthlodge (or earth lodge) was done around the turn of the century and is based on interviews of tribal elders and close examination of "modern" Hidatsa earth lodges. The Hidatsa speak a Siouan language and are closely related to the Crow Indians. They lived in the Northern Plains where winter conditions demanded a more substantial shelter than that needed in the Southern Plains. Still, the basic techniques were shared by many Plains groups speaking Siouan and Caddoan languages.
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