5000 years of mudbrick at Arslantepe: ancient earthen architecture and modern sustainability

Arslantepe is a 5000-year-old mound in eastern Anatolia featuring early examples of advanced planning, skilled craftsmanship and durable earthen architecture. Over the last four decades, it has been preserved through minimal, reversible interventions and protective shelters. Comparison with surviving traditional mudbrick houses in nearby Orduzu shows enduring continuities in design, materials, and maintenance. The loss of this know-how and its exclusion from modern building codes contrast with archaeological evidence of mudbrick’s structural potential. Drawing on local heritage, the authors propose integrating traditional methods with modern engineering to create sustainable, earthquake-resistant earthen architecture for reconstruction. This case highlights how cultural continuity and environmental sustainability can guide future rural housing policies.