🔥 Why do we need heating when there’s another way? ❄️ Since ancient times, Eskimos have mastered the art of building igloos—houses made of snow and ice—that keep them warm without fire! 🏠✨ Sounds unbelievable? The secret behind this fascinating technique is explained in detail below in the article! 📖👇
Different cultures have developed unique ways of adapting to their environments, and some of these lifestyles can seem almost unimaginable to outsiders. One of the most fascinating examples is how Eskimos manage to live comfortably in structures made entirely of snow.
For centuries, humans have built shelters using whatever materials were readily available in their surroundings. For the Eskimos, snow and ice were the most abundant resources in their harsh, frozen homeland. Despite what one might expect, these snow dwellings—called igloos—are surprisingly warm on the inside. While temperatures outside can plummet to -40°C, the interior can reach a cozy +20°C, thanks to clever construction techniques.
The Art of Building an Igloo
The design of igloos has been perfected over many generations, with specific methods passed down to ensure maximum warmth and durability. The simplest way to create a shelter is by using an existing snowdrift. If only a temporary refuge is needed, a person can compact the walls of a snowbank and carve out a hollow space inside, effectively creating a ready-made snow cave.
For a more permanent dwelling, an igloo is carefully shaped into a dome structure. The ideal size is about two meters high and slightly wider in diameter. Unlike conventional homes, igloos have no doors in the traditional sense. Instead, the entrance is designed as a small tunnel positioned lower than the floor level, preventing cold air from rushing inside. This also ensures proper ventilation, especially when a small fire is used for heating. However, this entrance must be reinforced in case of heavy snowfall to prevent it from getting buried.
Constructing an Igloo with Ice Blocks
If natural snowbanks are not available, the Eskimos use blocks of compacted ice as building material. These ice bricks are cut into cubes or rectangles, though only the base of the igloo is built with rectangular blocks. Since the walls curve upward in a spiral pattern, the blocks used in higher layers are shaped into trapezoids and eventually into triangles at the top, ensuring the structure remains stable.
To hold the blocks together, a mixture of snow and water is used as a binding agent. Some igloos are even built with transparent ice “windows” or sections made from seal stomachs, allowing light to filter in. However, the snow walls themselves are naturally good at transmitting daylight, and for additional lighting, Eskimos traditionally use lamps fueled by animal fat.
How Igloos Stay Warm and Dry
Amazingly, despite being made of frozen materials, igloos do not feel cold inside. The heat from occupants and small fires causes the inner walls to melt slightly, and as the water refreezes, it strengthens the structure. The snow also acts as an insulating layer, trapping warmth inside while keeping the cold air out. Even without a fire, the temperature inside an igloo rarely drops below +15°C. For extra comfort, thick animal skins are laid on the floor and hung on the walls, making the space both warm and inviting.
A Time-Tested Survival Technique
Some indigenous communities still rely on igloos for winter living, and many of these homes are connected by a network of tunnels, allowing movement between shelters without stepping outside into the freezing cold. The techniques used by Eskimos to construct these shelters have also been adopted by Arctic explorers and mountain climbers, proving that this ancient survival method remains just as effective today.
