Although the earth-covered lodge, as just described, was used in the permanent villages, nevertheless in the same villages were to have been seen many of the conical skin tipis. Both types of habitation were standing at the Omaha village in 1871 when the photograph, now reproduced in plate [27], was made by W. H. Jackson.
Near each earth lodge, "generally to the left of the entrance, the cache was built. This consisted of a hole in the ground about 8 feet deep, rounded at the bottom and sides, provided with a neck just large enough to admit the body of a person. The whole was lined with split posts, to which was tied an inner lining of bunches of dried grass. The opening was protected by grass, over which sod was placed. In these caches the winter supply of food was stored; the shelled corn was put into skin bags, long strings of corn on the cob were made by braiding the outer husks, while the jerked meat was packed in parfleche cases. Pelts, regalia, and extra clothing were generally kept in the cache; but these were laid in ornamented parfleche cases, never used but for this purpose." (Op. cit., p. 98.)
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 77 PLATE 28
a. Page of Kurz's Sketchbook showing Omaha village, May 20, 1851
b. Page of Kurz's Sketchbook showing interior of an Omaha lodge, May 16, 1851
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 77 PLATE 29
"PUNKA INDIANS ENCAMPED ON THE BANKS OF THE MISSOURI" Karl Bodmer, 1833