Soil: a construction resource for millennia

Soil is much more than the ground beneath our feet. Humans have used soil-derived materials in construction for thousands of years. Depending on the region and available resources, almost all soil materials — sand, clay, loam, and even peat — have been used to build homes, storage structures, and public buildings. The iconic turf houses in Iceland demonstrate how peat and soil were shaped into insulation and walls. Tiles, used both for roof and walls, are another example.