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Old Saami men told that the bottom of these dwellings was covered with fir-tree branches, birch sticks and skins. There was a hearth in the centre or in a niche, but the Saami made fire only at night so that their enemies wouldn`t notice the smoke. These underground dwellings served as temporary (shelters during enemies` attacks) but not constant ones.

The most popular type of dwelling among the Russian and Scandinavian Saami was "vezha-kuet`".

A typical Saami`s "vezha" was a cone-like construction from poles, covered with tree bark, turf or skins, with a low door and a smoke hole in the middle.

A typical Saami`s "vezha" looked like a usual hill covered with turf: 5x5 (or 4,5x4,5) meters wide and 2 meters high. "Vezha" was built the following way: crooked poles (valvteg) were stuck into the ground or into the holes in the trees lying on the ground; the ends of the poles were fastened together with a wooden blade or nails; the whole construction formed an arch standing with its ends down. Another pair of poles was established parallel to the first pair, and all of them were fastened together with a wooden pivot (sumvur). The basement of "vezha" was ready. Then "vezha" was covered with birch, fir-tree bark or wood, and pieces of turf with grass on the inside. The turf couldn`t fall down because "vezha" was supported by poles, "kerezhas" and sledges. "Vezha" was kept warm with the help of a hearth made from stone plates or a circle of stones (tolstay). There was a smoke hole in the roof over the hearth. When it was raining or freezing the hole was covered with tarpaulin or skins. A boiler (avel`) was hanging over the hearth on a wooden hook (sometimes with a metal chain). In a good "vezha" there was a wooden plank instead of floor. In every "vezha" there was a small door (uks) hanging on the wall and requiring some effort to be closed. In some "vezhas" there was a small window in the wall opposite to the door (ekken).

It took 4-7 days for two grown-up Saami men to build a new "vezha". Inside there usually were no benches or any other furniture, not even a shelf for cooking utensils (il`ta). Two trees were laid parallel to the walls in order to separate sleeping places for adults and children. According to the Saami`s stories and descriptions in literature, earlier "vezhas" were covered with fir-tree bark.

The second popular type of dwelling was "tupa" ("pert"). "Tupa" was a construction built from small logs or thick desks, with four corners and a flat roof. It`s difficult to say when the Saami began to build "tupas", but already in Alay Mikhalkov`s scrivener`s books (the beginning of the 17th century) there were mentions only about "vezhas", nothing stood about "tupas" or huts. That is why we may suppose that "tupa" was a type of dwelling which appeared later (not earlier than in the 17th century); and that it was probably borrowed by the Saami from Russian merchants living on the Kola coast.

"Tupa" was a rather comfortable dwelling which, compared with "vezha", has several advantages: there was a floor, a roof, a bench or a table in every "tupa". But its biggest advantage was a more developed hearth called "tak`". A primitive fire-place was made from stone plates or bricks in the left corner of "tupa". The pipe from the fire-place was connected directly with a roof, which at the same time served as a ceiling. In summer the Saami lived mainly in "vezhas", in winter - in "tupas". So "tupa" was a typical type of dwelling in the Saami`s winter settlements.

There were no special light devices in dwellings. Before the 19th century when kerosene lamps appeared the Saami used hearths or splinters as means of getting light.

There were three types of farming constructions. In "summer places" there were small barns standing on one or four legs (ayht`). They were used for keeping fishing tackles, skins and food both in winter and summer. High tree trunks which supported the barn protected it from mice. Otherwise the mice would destroy nets, seines and skins kept in the barn.

The second type of farming constructions were pantries in "summer places" for keeping barrels with fresh and salted fish (kul`layht`). Pantries were built the same way as "vezhas" but they had a deep pit full of ice and snow instead of the floor.

During long crossings from summer to winter places the Saami used a tent - "kuvaksa" ("kavas"). 8-12 poles (tsyan`ken`) lay on one of the sledges. When stopping for the night the poles were established in the form of a cone and were covered with canvas (sal`ves) or sacks. The ground was covered with fir-tree needles or birch sticks, and reindeer skins. A hearth was made in the centre. Those who used "kuvaksa" were reindeer-breeders and fishermen who caught fish in the nearest lakes.

The main Saami`s dwellings - "tupas", "vezhas" and huts - were built in settlements and graveyards (sijt). The Saami`s settlements looked very disorderly: everyone could build his dwelling wherever and however he wanted. A great number of "vezhas" and huts were situated in forests, near rivers and lakes; the Saami families who preferred loneliness lived there.

The function of dwellings was to protect from bad weather and predators, not from other men. That was why the Saami didn`t lock the doors and winter settlements and forest barns were left empty in summer.

The Saami still had some ritual remnants connected with their dwellings: reindeer horns were hung everywhere and served as amulets. One can see a lot of reindeer horns on the roofs of barns used for keeping property: they were to guarantee the increasing of wealth. Pikes` teeth were hung everywhere inside of a dwelling - above the door or window; they protected people from evil eye. It was banned to bring the booty into the house through a door: it was brought in through a window, a chimney or a special door. It was also banned to carry out a dead man from the house through a door; otherwise his soul would visit the house later. So he was carried out through a hole in a wall, which later was blocked up again.