Earthhouse is spelled e-r-t-h-h-o-u-s-e. In International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) phonetic transcription, this can be written as /ˈɜrθhaʊs/. The word combines "earth" which refers to soil or the planet we live on, and "house" which usually means a building. The spelling of earth is altered by changing the vowel to the less common "e" to create a unique name but the pronunciation stays the same. This word could refer to a house built into the ground or made from earthy materials.
Earthhouse is a term used to describe a type of dwelling or architectural structure that is designed and constructed primarily using earth as the main building material. It is often associated with environmentally friendly and sustainable building practices, as well as with the principles of natural and organic architecture.
Earthhouses are typically built by utilizing techniques such as rammed earth, adobe, cob, or compressed earth blocks. These construction methods involve compacting or stacking layers of earth to form strong and durable walls. The result is a structure that provides thermal insulation, promoting energy efficiency by naturally regulating the internal temperature throughout the year.
The term "earthhouse" can also refer to a specific kind of underground dwelling or shelter built into a hillside. In this context, earthhouses are designed to take advantage of the thermal mass of the earth, which helps to maintain more stable indoor temperatures and reduce the need for external heating or cooling.
This type of housing is often associated with ancient civilizations, such as the troglodyte dwellings of Cappadocia in Turkey or the kivas of the Ancestral Puebloans in North America. In modern times, earthhouses have gained renewed interest as a sustainable alternative to conventional construction methods, both for their energy efficiency and their ability to harmonize with the natural landscape.
The word "Earthhouse" is a compound word derived from two elements: "earth" and "house".
1. "Earth" comes from the Old English word "eorþe", which in turn has roots in the Proto-Germanic word "ertho" meaning "ground" or "soil". This word ultimately traces back to the Proto-Indo-European root *er-* meaning "earth" or "ground". Throughout history, this word has been used to refer to the planet we live on, often distinguished from the sky or heavens.
2. "House" is derived from the Old English word "hūs", which has origins in the Proto-Germanic word *hūsą. It originally referred to a specific type of shelter, dwelling, or building used by humans.