About this Book

Earthen architecture constitutes one of the most diverse
forms of cultural heritage and one of the most challenging to preserve. It
dates from all periods and is found on all continents but is particularly
prevalent in Africa, where it has been a building tradition for centuries.
Sites range from ancestral cities in Mali to the palaces of Abomey in Benin,
from monuments and mosques in Iran and Buddhist temples on the Silk Road to
Spanish missions in California.

This volume's sixty-four papers address such themes as earthen architecture in
Mali, the conservation of living sites, local knowledge systems and intangible
aspects, seismic and other natural forces, the conservation and management of
archaeological sites, research advances, and training.