A pit-house is a house built in the ground and used for shelter. Besides providing shelter from the most extreme of weather conditions, this type of earth shelter may also be used to store food and for cultural activities like the telling of stories, dancing, singing and celebrations. General dictionaries also describe a pit-house as a dugout, and it has similarities to a half-dugout.
Reconstruction of a pit-house in Chotěbuz, Czechia
Mammoth bone dwelling
A reconstruction
Backstuga i Småland, ca 1925
An earth shelter, also called an earth house, earth bermed house, or underground house, is a structure with earth (soil) against the walls, on the roof, or that is entirely buried underground.
An earth sheltered house in Switzerland (Peter Vetsch)
Mandan lodge, North Dakota. c. 1908
"The interior of the hut of a Mandan Chief": aquatint by Karl Bodmer from the book "Maximilian, Prince of Wied's Travels in the Interior of North America, during the years 1832–1834"
Turf house in Sænautasel, Iceland.