Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Earth building is extremely labour-intensive compared to most other methods.
In the present economic situation where all the labour must be paid for, building
with earth is very expensive. Earth technology is undergoing intensive develop-
ment on mainland Europe. At present it should be seen as a potential self-build
method, mainly in areas where there are earth resources.
History
Earth buildings have probably been around for over 10 000 years. The oldest remains
found so far are the ruins of Jericho, estimated at over 9000 years old. In a grave at
Mastaba in Egypt there are traces of 5000-year-old cast earth blocks. English archae-
ologists have found similar 3000-year-old construction techniques in Pakistan. In the
Old Testament, references are made to earth blocks made with straw. One of the
Pharaohs gives orders that the children of Israel should not be given straw to make
their blocks (
Exodus
, Ch. 5, v. 7). Because of its abundance, earth has been used for
most of the architecture 'without architects'. There are many historical examples of
pure earth towns, from Jericho to Timbuctoo, including temples, churches and
palaces. Both the tower of Babylon and the Great Wall of China were partly con-
structed of earth.
Towns consisting of earth houses are still built in places like the Yemen. These build-
ings are several storeys high and built in their hundreds, creating the atmosphere of a mud
Manhattan!
Figure 8.3: The earth city of Shiban in the south of Yemen. Source: Flemming Abrahamsson