From Soil to Domes: Vernacular Architecture and Construction Techniques in Esfahak, South Khurasan

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ABSTRACT This article examines construction techniques of earthen vernacular architecture, with a particular focus on traditional construction processes of mud brick vaults and domes in contemporary Iran. The village of Esfahak, in South Khurasan, is selected as a case study due to its unique historical circumstances, traditional buildings and construction methods, and recent restoration activities carried out by villagers. The village was damaged by an earthquake in 1978 and abandoned for 30 years until a group of Esfahakis decided to restore their ruined earthen houses. This marked the start of an intergenerational exchange that allowed young villagers to train alongside old masters in a process of rediscovery of long-time abandoned construction techniques. The old village has been reconnected to the lives of current residents, while the reconstructed buildings continue to bear witness to the millennial knowledge and skills of erecting vaults and domes from the plateau’s arid soil. This article is based on fieldwork research on building sites and interviews with craftsmen in Esfahak, combined with a review of existing literature on traditional and historical construction techniques in the Persian world.