Tipi

Tipis are cone shaped tents with a frame work of poles covered with hides. A typical tipi had 13 to 20 long poles averaging 25 feet in length. There are three or four main poles which held the weight of the others. The main poles were leaned against each other after being placed in the ground. They were then tied together near the top of the poles. The resulting circle created was about 15 feet in diameter. All the poles were covered with as many as 30 buffalo hides but the usual number was 14 to 20. The hides were sewed together and pegged to the ground. At the top of the tipi a smoke hole with adjustable flaps allowed smoke from the fire inside the tipi to escape. A door, which always faced east was usually another buffalo hide covering an opening made by the arrangement of the poles. There was no carpet or fur covering used to cover the ground which was the floor of the tipi. There were usually three or four beds that could fit inside a tipi. To provide extra warmth in winter, buffalo skins were used as blankets and a tipi lining was used to provide insulation.