Thanks. Nice video.

It is a semi-subterrainean house because it moderates the temperature indoors- warmer in winter and cooler in summer. They are found throughout the world and prehistory for those same reasons. Those shingles are something else. Since the structure is so small, why wouldn't you just split some logs into boards and stack them on your roof like one giant shingle one after another? Sure is a lot less work and just as water resistant probably. The old way to do a roof is just laying some stuff up there- either woven mats or branches, or pieces of wood and just place a weights (usually other pieces of wood) on top of whatever to keep it from flying away in the wind.

Early Chinese houses, such as at Banpo 半坡, are also pit houses. By digging a pit, or enlarging an existing one, you can greatly increase the volume of space under the roof without putting up walls.

+Yugan Dali
Walls :
My thoughts exactly, also you get insulation from the earth, not only will it absorb & slowly release & radiate heat from a fire pit, the low structure sitting closer to the ground, will allow less of the heat to wick away in cold climates

+No Free Will
No, thatch actually compresses as it breaks down, is carried off by birds for nesting & has to be replaced yearly, a new layer is placed upon whatever existing layer is still there.

+5th Columnist Good point, although I have always wondered what they did during heavy rain.

@Yugan Dali
you build up a little rammed earth wall around the hut, it only needs to be about 8" high, they still teach this for your 'hootchie' individual shelters in the army.

+5th Columnist Thanks, I didn't know that.

Because the longer wood would warp too much from constant rain and then drying out. Look at 2×4's at a lumberyard, some even though sawn straight don't dry straight because they're grain isn't straight… the smaller shingles warp constantly but because they've smaller and the grain is in line downwards, hopefully you won't have as many leaks.

insulation in winter