I recently finished a book called The Treasure Hunter by Howard Jennings. Howard was a treasure hunter and was killed in a plane crash in the early 1970s, I believe it may have been over Turkey. Most of his jaunts were in South America and Central America Anyhoo, in his book, the last chapter he describes his equipment and whatnot. While on a dig he would have a sod hut built to stay in. The walls would be built up and poles for the roof and then covered with sod. He preferred this set up. Sometimes he would stay in a hammock. I'm not sure how exactly he made the hut. it seemed odd to me that a sod hut was preferred in the jungle.
There are abundant photos of sod houses that the homesteaders lived in, as the western part of America was settled. Often on the prairie, there was very little trees, but lots of sod. I think that maybe in the movie, "Dances with Wolves" he lived in a sod house. They were cheap and quick to build, plus were bullet proof and fire proof and arrow proof.
In Africa they used Cow poop to build waddle mud houses. I guess I have no idea what the soil is like in the jungle, but guessing not conducive to construction. But what he calls a sod house, might be more like woven leafs and vines. Or woven grass. I see your point, it is strange.
Jennings was exploring lost cities. There were likely open areas here and there and the sod was easy to cut and roll up. He was basically a grave robber, that's what he targeted at least in South America. I'm not sure what he was looking for in Turkey.
a lot of rural houses in this country are made of Cob with is a mixture of mud, straw and cow and horse poo, usually when finished its lime washed. normally under a thatched roof.
