![Shelter by presa (closer)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/Shelter_by_presa_%28closer%29.jpg)
A post in ground construction, also called earthfast or hole-set posts, is a type of construction in which vertical, roof-bearing timbers, called
posts, are in direct contact with the ground. They may be placed into excavated
posthole
In archaeology a posthole or post-hole is a cut feature used to hold a surface timber or stone. They are usually much deeper than they are wide; however, truncation may not make this apparent. Although the remains of the timber may survive, most ...
s, driven into the ground, or on sills which are set on the ground without a foundation. Earthfast construction is common from the
Neolithic period
The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several parts ...
to the present and is used worldwide. Post-in-the-ground construction is sometimes called an "impermanent" form, used for houses which are expected to last a decade or two before a better quality structure can be built.
Post in ground construction can also include sill on grade,
wood-lined cellars, and
pit house
A pit-house (or ''pit house'', ''pithouse'') is a house built in the ground and used for shelter. Besides providing shelter from the most extreme of weather conditions, these structures may also be used to store food (just like a pantry, a larder ...
s. Most pre-historic and medieval wooden dwellings worldwide were built post in ground.
History
This type of construction is often believed to be an intermediate form between a
palisade
A palisade, sometimes called a stakewall or a paling, is typically a fence or defensive wall made from iron or wooden stakes, or tree trunks, and used as a defensive structure or enclosure. Palisades can form a stockade.
Etymology
''Palisade' ...
construction and a stave construction. Because the
posthole
In archaeology a posthole or post-hole is a cut feature used to hold a surface timber or stone. They are usually much deeper than they are wide; however, truncation may not make this apparent. Although the remains of the timber may survive, most ...
s are easily detected in archaeological surveys, they can be distinguished from the other two.
Post in ground was one of the timber construction methods used for French colonial structures in
New France
New France (french: Nouvelle-France) was the area colonized by France in North America, beginning with the exploration of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Great Britain and Spai ...
; it was called ''poteaux-en-terre.''
The Japanese also used a type of earthfast construction until the eighteenth century, which they call Hottate-bashira (literally "embedded pillars").
[Gina Lee Barnes. ''Yamato: archaeology of the first Japanese state.'' googlebooks?id=S-sDAQAAIAAJ]
The
Dogon people
The Dogon are an ethnic group indigenous to the central plateau region of Mali, in West Africa, south of the Niger River, Niger bend, near the city of Bandiagara, and in Burkina Faso. The population numbers between 400,000 and 800,000. They spe ...
in Africa use post in ground construction for their
toguna
A toguna (or palaver hut), also written as ''togu'na'' or ''togu na'' (meaning "great shelter") is a public building erected by the Dogon people in the West African country of Mali
Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈ðž ...
, community gathering places typically located in the center of villages for official and informal meetings.
Poteaux-en-terre
In the historical region of
New France
New France (french: Nouvelle-France) was the area colonized by France in North America, beginning with the exploration of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Great Britain and Spai ...
in North America, ''poteaux-en-terre'' was a historic style of earthfast
timber framing
Timber framing (german: Holzfachwerk) and "post-and-beam" construction are traditional methods of building with heavy timbers, creating structures using squared-off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden ...
. This method is similar to
poteaux-sur-sol
Poteaux-sur-sol ("posts on a sill" – sol is also spelled sole and solle) is a style of timber framing in which relatively closely spaced posts rest on a timber sill. Poteaux-en-terre and pieux-en-terre are similar, but the closely spaced posts ...
, but the ''boulin'' (hewn posts) are planted in the ground rather than landing on a
sill plate
A sill plate or sole plate in construction and architecture is the bottom horizontal member of a wall or building to which vertical members are attached. The word "plate" is typically omitted in America and carpenters speak simply of the "sill". Ot ...
. The spaces between the boulin are filled with ''
bousillage
Bousillage (bouzillage,McDermott, John Francis. "bousillage, bouzillage, n. m.". ''A Glossary of Mississippi Valley French, 1673-1850''. St. Louis: , 1941. 34. Print. bousille, bouzille) is a mixture of clay and grass or other fibrous substances us ...
'' (reinforced mud) or ''
pierrotage
Pierrotage is a half-timbered timber framing technique in which stone infill is used between posts. It was used in France and by French settlers in French Canada and Upper Louisiana."Pierrotage, pierotage" def. 1. Edwards, Jay Dearborn, and Nico ...
'' (stones and mud). Surviving examples of both types of structures can be found at
Ste. Genevieve, Missouri
Ste. Genevieve (french: Sainte-Geneviève ) is a city in Ste. Genevieve Township and is the county seat of Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri, United States. The population was 4,999 at the 2020 census. Founded in 1735 by French Canadian coloni ...
.
Gallery of poteaux-en-terre
File:Drawing of Poteaux-en-Terre in the Beauvais House in Ste Genevieve MO.png, Drawing of poteaux-en-terre in the Beauvais House in Ste Genevieve, Missouri
Image:Poteaux-en-Terre Cross-Section.jpg, A cross section of a poteaux-en-terre house.
Image:Poteaux-en-Terre Construction.jpg, A model of the Beauvais-Amoureux House, showing poteaux-en-terre construction.
Image:Poteaux-en-Terre-Cellar of the Bauvais-Amoureux House.jpg, Poteaux-en-Terre-Cellar of the Maison Beauvais-Amoureux.
File:First Courthouse, St. Louis, Missouri.jpg, First Courthouse, St. Louis, Missouri; from a c. 1915 postcard.
See also
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French colonization of the Americas
France began colonizing the Americas in the 16th century and continued into the following centuries as it established a colonial empire in the Western Hemisphere. France established colonies in much of eastern North America, on several Caribbe ...
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Old Spanish Fort (Pascagoula, Mississippi)
The LaPointe-Krebs House, also known as the "Old Spanish Fort" and "Old French Fort," was built on the shore of Lake Catahoula (Krebs Lake) near what is now Pascagoula, Mississippi, on land granted to the French Canadian Joseph Simon dit La Poin ...
. The La Pointe-Krebs House.
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Pit-house
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Post church
Post church (Norwegian: ''stolpekirke'') is a term for a church building which predates the stave churches and differ in that the corner posts do not reside on a sill but instead have posts dug into the earth. Posts are the vertical, roof-bearin ...
*
Ste. Genevieve, Missouri
Ste. Genevieve (french: Sainte-Geneviève ) is a city in Ste. Genevieve Township and is the county seat of Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri, United States. The population was 4,999 at the 2020 census. Founded in 1735 by French Canadian coloni ...
*
Stilt house
Stilt houses (also called pile dwellings or lake dwellings) are houses raised on stilts (or piles) over the surface of the soil or a body of water. Stilt houses are built primarily as a protection against flooding; they also keep out vermin. The ...
References
External links
EARTHFAST ARCHITECTURE IN EARLY MAINE
{{Authority control
Building engineering
History of construction
New France
French-Canadian culture in the United States
French-American culture in Missouri
Missouri culture
French colonial architecture
Foundations (buildings and structures)
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