Building an igloo. 19th century artwork of Inuit building an igloo, or snow hut, from blocks of ice. The snow and ice insulate the interior. The low, long, narrow entrance traps heat while allowing ventilation. This artwork was drawn by the British naval commander Captain George Francis Lyon during William Edward Parry's 2nd Arctic expedition of 1821-1823. This expedition was one of several attempts made at the time to sail the Arctic's North-West Passage, and this artwork is from a journal published in London by Parry in 1824.