“Harran is famous for its traditional ‘beehive’ adobe houses, constructed entirely without wood. The design of these makes them cool inside (essential in this part of the world) and is thought to have been unchanged for at least 3,000 years. Some were still in use as dwellings until the 1980s. However, those remaining today are strictly tourist exhibits, while most of Harran’s population lives in a newly built small village about 2 kilometres away from the main site.”
Wiki
Image source: Today’s Zaman
Thanks to Jerry for this tip. Just a reminder, adobe domes and earthbag domes need insulation in cold climates, otherwise it will feel like a cave inside. A lot of people have difficulty understanding this concept as you can see at Adobe Dome.com.
Interested to see more, I found this video tour on YouTube. There is a tour guide offering some explanations and views of the interior.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLzmnP0JEos
You know you’ve found something when there is a flying yogurt making pig!
Fun video. Good find. It’s good to see the inside. Here’s another video that shows the domes and the surrounding area: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhA1I44-bYw
I wonder if the villagers in Harran live in modern crappy houses that overheat, need a lot of maintenance, etc. Sustainable, simple, practical solutions are often right under people’s noses, but somehow they think more modern ways are best.