Adobe Kiln

Adobe has been used as a versatile and durable building material for thousands of years. It is formed from clay, sand and water, with some fibrous, organic binding matter such as straw or manure. It can be made on site as a continuous structure or turned into bricks by using wooden frames. The substance has several useful properties, and slowly absorbs and releases heat; adobe buildings stay cool in the day, and warm at night in arid, desert conditions. Traditionally, adobe was allowed to dry naturally in the sun, but bricks and tiles could also be fired in kilns. Because of its ingredients, adobe makers could easily construct temporary works next to large building sites. In large cities, where space was at a premium, some would almost always be given over to adobe production.