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An igloo (Inuit language: iglu, Inuktitut syllabics: ᐃᒡᓗ, "house", plural: iglooit or igluit, but in English commonly igloos), translated sometimes as snowhouse, is a shelter constructed from blocks of snow, generally in the form of a dome. Although igloos are usually associated with all Inuit, they were predominantly constructed by people of Canada's Central Arctic and Greenlands Thule area. Other Inuit people tended to use snow to insulate their houses which consisted of whalebone and hides. The use of snow is due to the fact that snow is an insulator (due to its low density). On the outside, temperatures may be as low as −45 °C (−49 °F), but on the inside the temperature may range from −7 °C (19 °F) to 16 °C (61 °F) when warmed by body heat alone.

There are three types of igloo, all of different sizes and all are used for different purposes.

The smallest is constructed as a temporary shelter, usually only used for a one or two nights. These were built and used while during hunting trips, often on open sea ice.

Next in size was the semi-permanent, intermediate sized family dwelling. This usually was a single room dwelling that housed one or two families. Often there were several of these in a small area, which formed an "Inuit village".

The largest of the igloos was normally built in groups of two. One of the buildings was a temporary building constructed for special occasions, the other was built nearby for living. These could have up to five rooms and housed up to 20 people. A large igloo may have been constructed from several smaller igloos attached by their tunnels giving a common access to the outside. These were used to hold community feasts, and traditional dances.

Modifications

The Central Inuit, especially those around the Davis Strait, line the living area with skin, which can increase the temperature within from around 2 °C (36 °F) to 10-20 °C (50-68 °F).

Constructing an igloo

The snow used to build an igloo must have sufficient structural strength to be cut and stacked in the appropriate manner. The best snow to use for this purpose is snow which has been blown by wind, which can serve to compact and interlock the ice crystals. The hole left in the snow where the blocks are cut from is usually used as the lower half of the shelter. Sometimes, a short tunnel is constructed at the entrance to reduce wind and heat loss when the door is opened. Due to snow's excellent insulating properties, inhabited igloos are surprisingly comfortable and warm inside. In some cases a single block of ice is inserted to allow light into the igloo.

Architecturally, the igloo is unique in that it is a dome that can be raised out of independent blocks leaning on each other and polished to fit without an additional supporting structure during construction. The igloo, if correctly built, will support the weight of a person standing on the roof. Also, in the traditional Inuit igloo the heat from the kulliq (stone lamp) caused the interior to melt slightly. This melting and refreezing built up an ice sheet and contributed to the strength of the igloo.

The sleeping platform is a raised area compared to where one enters the igloo. Because warmer air rises and cooler air settles, the entrance area will act as a cold trap whereas the sleeping area will hold whatever heat is generated by a stove, lamp or body heat.

Heraldry

In heraldry, the igloo appears as the crest in the coat of arms of Nunavut.

See also

• Snow cave
• Snow fort
• Quinzhee
• Vernacular architecture

Footnotes

1. How Warm is an Igloo?, BEE453 Spring 2003 Rich Holihan, Dan Keeley, Daniel Lee, Powen Tu and Eric Yang (PDF)
2. What house-builders can learn from igloos, 2008, Dan Cruickshank, BBC

References

• Richard G. Condon, Julia Ogina and the Holman Elders, The Northern Copper Inuit (ISBN 0-8020-0849-6)
• Igloo -- the Traditional Arctic Snow Dome

External links

• How Igloos Work at HowStuffWorks
• Building an Igloo by Hugh McManners
• Watch How to Build an Igloo
• Field Manual for the U.S. Antarctic Program Chapter 11 Snow Shelters pp140-145
• Igloolik Elders Project (interviews on igloos)
• An article on igloos from The Canadian Encyclopedia

• Buildings and structures made of snow or ice
• House types
• Snow
• Traditional Native American dwellings
• Buildings and structures in Nunavut
• Buildings and structures in the Northwest Territories
• Greenlandic culture
• Domes