pithouses
Semi-subterranean ancient homes
Pithouses are dwellings built partially underground, with floors dug below ground level and roofs constructed over the excavated pit.
Common in many ancient cultures across North America, Europe, and Asia, they provided natural insulation—cool in summer, warm in winter.
The design appears in archaeological sites spanning thousands of years: The excavation revealed a village of pithouses dating to 500 BCE.
Made of clay
- dugoutCarved-log canoe
- sunkenDescended beneath water level
- smoke-holeRoof aperture for fumes
- timber-framedBuilt with wooden skeleton
ladder · entryway · floor-level · insulation · wattle-and-daub · thatched · circular · rectangular
Act of unearthing
- NeolithicFinal prehistoric stone-tool era
- prehistoricBefore documented civilization
- siteDesignated location
- artifactHuman-made historical object
posthole · midden · stratigraphy · radiocarbon · settlement · habitation · feature · occupation
Pueblo ceremonial chamber
- hoganNative American earth dwelling
- longhouseElongated communal dwelling structure
- NavajoSouthwestern indigenous people
- AnasaziAncient Southwestern cliff-dwelling people
Aleut · clan · village · ceremony · communal · traditional · ancestral · seasonal
Below ground or countercultural
- geothermalRelating to underground heat
- energy-efficientUsing minimal power
- coolingLosing thermal energy
- heatingRaising temperature artificially
permafrost · arid · desert · temperate · microclimate · sustainable · low-impact · windbreak
earthen
Made of clay
- dugoutCarved-log canoe
- sunkenDescended beneath water level
- smoke-holeRoof aperture for fumes
timber-framed · ladder · entryway · floor-level · insulation · wattle-and-daub · thatched · circular · rectangular · dwelling
excavation
Act of unearthing
- NeolithicFinal prehistoric stone-tool era
- prehistoricBefore documented civilization
- siteDesignated location
artifact · posthole · midden · stratigraphy · radiocarbon · settlement · habitation · feature · occupation · reconstruction
kiva
Pueblo ceremonial chamber
- hoganNative American earth dwelling
- longhouseElongated communal dwelling structure
- NavajoSouthwestern indigenous people
Anasazi · Aleut · clan · village · ceremony · communal · traditional · ancestral · seasonal · subsistence
underground
Below ground or countercultural
- geothermalRelating to underground heat
- energy-efficientUsing minimal power
- coolingLosing thermal energy
heating · permafrost · arid · desert · temperate · microclimate · sustainable · low-impact · windbreak · moisture
pithousesstilt houses
Homes built on posts
pile dwellings · high-rises · cliff dwellings · tree houses · treehouses
pithousespalaces
Grand royal residences
mansions · castles · monumental architecture · cathedrals · temples