Life oN the

Plateau

In the past, the Plateau Indians lived

between the Cascade Mountains

in Washington and the Bitterroot
Mountains in Idaho. Temperatures
were cold in the winter and hot in the
summer. There was little precipitation.
The landscape in this area varied.
Much of the area was made up of
desert, mountains, and narrow valleys.
There were rolling hills or flatlands too.
Two great rivers ran through the
area. Trout, salmon, and eels were
abundant in the Columbia and Fraser
Rivers. These fish were the main source
of food for the Plateau Indians. When
the rivers froze, they ate dried fish they
had prepared from their summer catch.
Plateau Indians ate elk, caribou,
deer, and bear when the fish supply
was low. Plateau Indians made their

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clothing from the hides of the animals

they hunted. Bulb and root plants such
as onions, carrots, bitterroot, and
parsnips were an important part of
their diet as well. They also gathered
different kinds of berries to eat.
Members of the tribes lived in
permanent villages near water. They
became nomadic during the hunting
season but would return to their
villages. Teepees were used as homes
while hunting because they could be
easily taken apart and moved.

There were two

DID YOU
KNOW?
types of village homes.
Because of its
Pit houses were round.
central location,
Their bases were dug
Native American
cultures from east
anywhere from 3 to 6
and west of the
feet into the ground.
plateau used it as
The top of a pit house
a trading ground.
was usually shaped
like a cone. A ladder was used to
enter the pit home from its top.
Mat-covered surface houses had
frames made from wooden poles. They
were covered with heavy mats made
from reeds, a kind of tall grass. Several
families lived in a surface house.
Sharing belongings was important
to many Plateau Indians. They believed
that those with plenty of food should
give to those with little food so that
everyone could be equal.

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Credits: Tim Jones/Wilkinson Studios, Inc.