sweat house

Also known as a sweat lodge, a sweat house is a small structure used for ceremonial rituals that involve sweating as a way of purifying the self and connecting with the spiritual realm. Heat inside the sweat house is generated by large stones that are heated in a fire outside and carried into the house, where they are usually doused with water and herbs to produce aromatic, steaming vapors. Sweat houses are small, often partially sunk underground, do not have a ceiling hole, and instead of a door have an opening over which thick blankets, animal hides, or even brush are placed in order to keep the heat and steam inside.