kiva (pronounced KEE-vuh)

In ancient times, kivas were round structures built belowground. They usually had masonry walls. Kivas replaced pithouses during the Pueblo II period. They were used by individual families for ceremonies and also for everyday living.

In pueblos today, there are different styles of kivas. They can be round or rectangular, belowground or aboveground. Kivas are used by entire clans rather than by individual families. People no longer live in kivas, but they use them daily for ceremonies, meetings, or other events involving their clans.