Riverine Villages

Originating from the lower Mississippi region, farming spread along the Missouri River and its tributaries by 900 B.C.E. The farmers established semi-permanent villages of earth-covered lodges, often surrounded by palisades. Although much of their food came from their gardens, hunting remained a necessity. Riverine villages became centres of extensive networks of trade and it was in these villages that the first European goods and horses entered into the Plains economy.

Earthen Lodges on the Plains

Earthen lodges were constructed by many Plains people, including the Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara, Omaha and Pawnee. The interiors of earthen lodges were quite large and could accommodate extended families, as well as provide additional safety to the families' horses. Although these cultures centred on settled agricultural life, they also partook of seasonal buffalo hunts during which they lived in mobile tipis.