Horse Dung and Soil Based Composites for Construction of Aesthetic Shelves in Rural Homes of Western Rajasthan

Horse dung and clayey soil blended in presence of water are the base materials for aesthetic shelf construction. Women are the knowledge bearers of this construction technology. This technology is almost obsolete and requires revival. This paper details the materials, compositional features, process and techniques in the manufacture of this composite material. With curing and aging this composite gains compressive strength and is at par with the conventionally available cement products and which are environment friendly. It also implies substitution of this low cost composite material instead of cement products in construction. A novel method to manage horse dung as a resource is also enumerated.