Earthen materials were probably the first materials that people used to build with.  Three most commonly used earthen materials are adobe, rammed earth, and cob.  Cob, as one of these traditional materials, has been used for thousands of years and in many different places.  People may be most familiar with cob constructions that are in England, namely within the counties of Devon and Cornwall.  Cob comes from an old English word that means a lump, or rounded mass.  After it dries, a cob structure can stand for hundreds of years if it is built sturdily and correctly.  Some cob structures from the 1400 and 1500's are still standing today completely intact.  Today, earthen construction is still the most widely used of building materials, with an estimated 1/3 of people living in earthen structures.  Because of cob's strength, beauty, versatility, and the joy one can get from working with it,  cob is still is used today to build an array of structures such as benches and even entire homes.