What Makes a Pithouse a Pithome?: Exploring Fremont Households through Archaeology and Experimental Reconstruction

Pithouses are among the oldest known housing types found anywhere in the world. These structures were more than just a place to escape the elements, they were the centers of life for the families who called them home. While seemingly simple compared to the houses we occupy now, the Fremont invested their homes with the same meanings of comfort and protection that we do today. We can explore that meaning through a careful analysis of the domestic household features and artifacts we recover in these structures. Join Dr. Tim Riley as he explores how these structures were made and utilized by Fremont farmers here in Eastern Utah. He will review the archaeological data on pithouses and other Fremont architectural forms, such as granaries, before presenting his experimental research on how they are built