Longhouse

A longhouse is a type of long, typically single-room building built by various cultures in different parts of the world. The precise construction, purpose, and social significance of longhouses vary depending on the specific culture that built them. However, common features include an elongated structure, often constructed with a timber frame and covered with bark, thatch, or other readily available materials.

In North America, longhouses are most notably associated with the Iroquoian peoples (Haudenosaunee), including the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca nations. Among the Iroquois, the longhouse served as a communal dwelling for multiple related families, often matrilineal lineages. The longhouse was also a significant ceremonial and political space, serving as a meeting place for councils and religious observances. The layout of the Iroquois longhouse typically featured a central aisle with hearths shared by multiple families, and sleeping platforms along the walls.

Similar long structures, also referred to as longhouses, were historically built in other parts of the world. Examples include the longhouses of the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America, and the Neolithic longhouses of Europe. The specific uses and construction techniques varied across these different regions. Northwest Coast longhouses often served as residences for extended families and also functioned as spaces for feasts, ceremonies, and the display of status symbols. European Neolithic longhouses, dating back thousands of years, are believed to have been used for both residential and agricultural purposes.