In the "sunlight through the clouds" thread I started, Wordwind mentioned "oculus", a word from architecture used to refer to a hole in the ceiling.

This reminded me of another structure with a hole in the ceiling - a Native American gathering place. I think the hole in the ceiling may have allowed smoke from a central fire to rise. Does anyone know the name of this structure? I think it was a short word with maybe two syllables.

The word kiva comes to mind. Opinions vary as to whether these were ceremonial places or communal kitchens. Anthropologists are often too ready to declare ritual when they are unsure of something's function. A case in point was a depression noted inside and immediately to the right of the doorway of excavated British Iron Age huts. The general opinion was that they had some ceremonial purpose although no suggestive remains were discovered in these depressions. A reconstructed village was set up at some point and a group of people spent a year living the life ironic. When it rained the chickens would scurrry in to the huts and, upon entering, would turn to the right, rustle around in the dirt to dry themselves off and get out the way for the next chicken.

Yes, that's exactly it! Kiva! Thank you for the word, and the additional facts! :)

Dear dmkoelle: I have seen many illustrations of tepees with an opening at top and on either side of it smoke flaps to prevent wind from entering. But I could find no name for this.

tepees with an opening at top

We used to do the same thing (more or less) with holes in the roofs of early American shacks. Chimneyless fireplaces. A classic example can be seen at the Genesee Country Museum, a collection of early to late 19th century buildings outside of Rochester, NY, USA.

I looked for "Hopi Kiva" and found a rather informative site about Hopi culture. The kiva was a special room for ceremonies, and the entrance was through ceiling, but no special name was given it.

http://www.crystalinks.com/hopi1.html

We went to the Five Nations museum/village in Oklahoma last year. They have a clay ceremonial house built there which they referred to as a kiva. You walked in through a door, though.