# African round hut

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African architecture

A traditional African hut in Ethiopia

The **[African](/source/Africa) round [hut](/source/Hut)** known in literature as *cone on cylinder* or *cone on drum* [hut](/source/Hut). The hut has different names in various [African languages](/source/African_languages). It is constructed usually with a conical foundation and peaked [thatched roof](/source/Thatching). It is most commonly made out of mud and its roof is often made with grass and with local materials. It has been constructed for thousands of years. The thatched-roofed, plastered type mud houses construction was found early in [East Africa](/source/East_Africa), where various local indigenous tribes built them, using them as homestead alongside lifestyle with agriculture and farming. The mud hut is extremely common throughout rural parts of the African continent.[1] They can be different in shape and size depending on the region in which they are built. [2]

## Architecture

Inside a hut looking towards the ceiling

An African round hut is a seen as [vernacular architecture](/source/Vernacular_architecture) since they are built of readily available materials. The huts can be built using mud, cow manure, bricks or grass in some cases. A new mud hut will last 1-2 years, depending on the amount of rain and erosion. The huts were built so they could be loosely clustered around open spaces, which provided ventilation and breezes, in order to provide comfort in the warm conditions of the [tropics](/source/Tropics).

## Names and types

An undecorated rondavel

Depending on location the name of the African round hut can vary.[3] Here is a list of what the huts are called in various African countries:

Regions of Africa Country Local name Angola Mbukushu Botswana Dumela Congo Cob/Adobe Eritrea Tukul/Agudo Ethiopia Godjo Kenya Itambi Namibia Kraals Lesotho Mokhoro South Africa Rondavel South Sudan Hotnhial Ghana Atta Kwame

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Construction and Cultural Significance of Mud Huts"](https://web.archive.org/web/20221127190917/https://www.designcauseinc.org/single-post/2016/05/31/construction-and-cultural-significance-of-mud-huts-1). *designcauseinc.org*. Archived from [the original](https://www.designcauseinc.org/single-post/2016/05/31/Construction-and-Cultural-Significance-of-Mud-Huts-1) on 2022-11-27. Retrieved 2020-01-14.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Steyn, Gerald (2006). ["The indigenous rondavel – a case for conservation"](https://repository.up.ac.za/bitstream/handle/2263/10792/Styen_Indigenous(2006).pdf) (PDF). *ac.za*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["In celebration of the African vernacular architecture"](https://www.designindaba.com/articles/creative-work/celebration-african-vernacular-architecture). *Design Indaba*.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [African round hut](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_round_hut) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_round_hut?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.