Pile-dwelling houses had no cellars. Nevertheless, the space beneath the living quarters was not left unused. During the winter months, when the lake’s water level was low and the ground reasonably dry, tools used mainly during the summer – such as ploughs and cart parts – were stored there, along with firewood and animal feed. When the water level was high, dugout canoes and fish traps were moored to the piles. Throughout the year, the household pigs would frolic there, enjoy a mud bath or seek shelter from the scorching sun. The house’s supporting posts were well-suited for setting up a makeshift pen, even for other animals, when grazing came to a halt in winter.