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Peat from the beginning of settlement in Iceland was the best building material that provided excellent protection for people against cold climates. Did you know that 30% of Iceland was forested when it was settled, mostly with birch? It looks amazing, isn't it?
As you can read i this short article, across Europe, turf bricks were cut from local bogs and frequently transported for use at higher elevations. The turf was then laid over a timber structure to form walls and a thick roof—insulation from harsh northern climates. After the wetland plants died, dryland grasses grew over the roofs, providing further stability. Depending on regional frost and thaw patterns, turf walls were replaced as frequently as every 20 years, and in other regions, they could endure up to 70 years.
Because of turf’s biodegradable properties and susceptibility to wind and rain erosion, it is difficult to pinpoint its precise origins in the archaeological record, however evidence of similar constructions can be found throughout Norway, Scotland, Ireland, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and the Great Plains of the United States throughout the ages.
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