What Is An Igloo?

An igloo is the traditional home of the Eskimo people. The only tool required for construction is a long-bladed knife to cut out blocks of frozen snow. When the home is completed it has the appearance of a globe cut in half. It is usually around eight to ten feet in diameter, depending on the size of the family. The height from the floor to the apex averages between six and seven feet. Some igloos are entered by a tunnel that goes part way around the outside so that actual entrance to the home is completely shielded from the wind.
The family sleeps on a low platform of snow on which a bed of willow twigs is laid and then covered with caribou furs. Sometimes the furs extend halfway up the walls and their edges are secured between two layers of snow blocks. The heating system is simple—a "kudlik," which is a shallow bowl like object carved out of stone. In this the fat of a seal or whale is burned. It does not generate much heat, but it is certainly missed when the fat supply is depleted. In times past an energetic Inuit might build several igloos during the winter, especially if hunting necessitated frequent moves.