Yurta: A Portable All-Season Tiny Home

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Shelter from the elements is a top priority in any survival situation, no matter the time of year. In the summer, staying in the shade helps avoid heat exhaustion and sunburn; in the winter, insulated walls protect you from wind chill, sleet, and snow. You can always improvise a shelter in a pinch, but it's ideal to have a shelter that has been prepared ahead of time. This structure doesn't need to be elaborate, but it does need to be affordable, durable, and spacious enough for your family and all your essential gear.

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Marcin Padlewski and Anissa Szeto, of Ontario, Canada, have designed a structure that they claim meets all of these needs. It's based on the yurt, a traditional circular Mongolian tent that has been used for centuries. Marcin and Anissa's company, Yurta, has been building these pre-made yurt kits in Canada since 2004.

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Each Yurta shelter consists of a natural hardwood frame, a wool felt insulation layer, and a water-resistant yet breathable canvas outer shell. These materials can be packed down into a long pickup truck bed or 4'x8′ trailer for easy transport.

Yurta portable tent tiny home shelter building 1

Once you choose a suitable location, company says its yurts can be deployed in 2 to 3 hours without turning a screw or hammering a nail. Deck foundation kits are available, or you can build your own insulated floor platform from included plans. If all else fails or you need to set up in a hurry, you can still stake the structure directly to the ground.

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Yurta is available in two sizes: 13-foot diameter and 17-foot diameter. The company also offers connectors for multiple units, so you can set up an entire compound with multiple joined rooms. With the addition of a wood-burning stove, the company says these structures can remain comfortably warm even if it's -25°C (-13°F) outside.

Pricing for the larger 17-foot Yurta is $9,000 to $9,500, depending on wall height option. This includes the framework, roof, walls, solid cedar door, window inserts, storm flaps, awnings, floor building plans, and other components. Wool insulation for colder months is sold separately, and ranges from $2,400 to $3,400. A pre-built stained and insulated floor kit is $2,800. This may seem like it adds up fast, but considering the potential year-round use capabilities of these structures, a Yurta may be an effective option for a long-term bug-out shelter.

For more info on these modern yurts, check out Yurta.ca.

Angry Frog Neck Knife by Devil Dog Designs

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We often feature new knives crafted by giants of the knife industry, from Benchmade to Zero Tolerance. However, we're also always on the lookout for cool designs from up-and-coming knife-makers — some pretty interesting cutting tools can come out of these small workshops, even if they don't have access to exotic materials and millions of dollars in CNC machines. So, when a friend recently showed us an angular handmade neck knife called the Angry Frog, we wanted to know more.

The Angry Frog was crafted by Brian Cornett, the man behind Devil Dog Designs (abbreviated as D3). Brian, a Marine veteran now living in McKinney, Texas, tells us that the idea of designing knives has appealed to him since childhood. His grandfather gave him an old Case Sod Buster, and he quickly began taking an interest in cutting tools. Many years later, after learning to customize some knives he already owned, Brian started making knives from scratch in 2012.

Since each Angry Frog is made by hand, Brian often comes up with unique limited-production textures and finishes.

We asked Brian how he came up with the Angry Frog design, and he explained:

“I wanted to design some sort of defense tool that was edged, had a secure grip, was small, and was easy to carry or conceal. So, I started sketching and sketching. I had some ideas of what I wanted to do, and came to a basic design for the first “Angry Frog”. It didn't look like the current design — see the pictures below with knife maker Darrell Ralph at my first knife show. Successful knife makers like him, Todd Begg, and Ernest Emerson influenced me, and still do to this day.”

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Left: Brian with one of his inspirations, knife designer Darrell Ralph of DDR and DGT. Right: Early Angry Frog...

Brian continued, “After coming up with a design and before hitting the grinder, I wanted to have a proper name for the knife. Bouncing names around in my head, I settled on “Angry Frog”. The origin of the name comes from a shower curtain, of all places. My wife and I had a white shower curtain with Japanese kanji script characters printed on it, and in each corner is the kanji for “love”. She has always said the symbol reminded her of an angry frog — a fitting name for my very first design.”

This unusual name does seem appropriate for Brian's aggressive design, which blends elements of a knuckle duster and a push dagger. Each D3 Angry Frog is cut from tough 52100 high-carbon steel, and features a deep chisel-ground main bevel finished with a two-sided edge grind. Two large holes accommodate the user's index and middle fingers, while a smaller hole provides room for a lanyard. There are also contours and jimping along the butt and spine for added comfort and control.

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Brian has made the Angry Frog in a variety of different finishes and textures, from simple stonewashed to hammered, milled, anodized, and acid-etched. Each comes with a fitted Kydex sheath, which can be mounted on a belt, or strung from a lanyard or bead chain as a neck knife. Pricing varies depending on finish, but we've generally seen them going for $100 to $120.

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An assortment of the finishes Brian has come up with for the Angry Frog.

To learn more about the Angry Frog and other Devil Dog Designs blades, or to purchase one of your own, contact Brian on Instagram or visit the D3 Facebook page. You can also email him directly at devildogdesign@tx.rr.com.

Passive Gill Net Fishing for Survival

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In a true survival situation, staying alive becomes a battle against nature, and when you're fighting for your life, there must be no holds barred. This is why you'll sometimes hear us discuss survival methods that are discouraged, considered unsportsmanlike, or are even downright illegal under normal circumstances. The gill nets we'll be discussing here fall into the latter category in many regions — in other words, there's a good chance they are against the law where you live, so check your local regulations before trying any of the following.

Fish can provide a sustainable source of calories, protein, fats, amino acids, and other nutrients. In a survival situation, actively fishing from the shoreline or a boat with a rod and reel consumes time and effort that could be put towards other critical tasks. This is where passive methods come in. Leaving some form of trap in the water can generate a food source, even when you're not monitoring it. This is why our ancestors progressed beyond hunting and gathering — it's not exactly efficient in the long term.

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One of the most effective types of passive net is the gill net. These are vertical panels of netting which are set across bodies of water, with floats along the top of the net and weights along the bottom. Once the net has been deployed, fish attempt to swim through it, and become trapped as the net snags behind their gills.

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The size of the gill net's mesh determines the fish it is most effective at capturing. Small fish can pass straight through, while large fish can't fit their heads through the mesh and are able to swim away. In survival situations, this means you'll be able to capture a steady supply of fish which are large enough to provide substantial calories, assuming the location you choose for the net is viable. In the past, the high effectiveness of gill nets often led to over-fishing and damage to the ecosystem, and that's why they are so heavily regulated today — but in a SHTF scenario where you need to find food to avoid starvation, they can be lifesavers.

The following video from Bob Hansler shows how to set up and use a gill net in a river:

Regardless of the scenario you're in, use this knowledge responsibly. Even if you are in a survival situation, you don't want to decimate the local fish population with an unsupervised net, leading to more food than you can eat before it spoils. Do what you need to in order to survive, but be cautious with this highly efficient passive fishing method.

Graphene Nano-Membrane Developed to Filter Seawater

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“Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink.” This classic proverb explains the conundrum of being surrounded by seawater — there's more than enough to drown in, but none of can quench your thirst. The high salt content of seawater can cause the body to go into shock if it's consumed, so it's unwise to drink seawater, especially if you're already dehydrated.

This or that ocean

The other problem is that this salt is often extremely difficult to remove from water. Simple filters like the LifeStraw can remove bacteria and other pathogens, but are unable to trap the dissolved salt on a molecular basis. Seawater can be desalinated through distillation or reverse osmosis filtration, but both of these processes are time-consuming and require large amounts of energy input. However, researchers have recently announced the development of a graphene nano-membrane filter which can efficiently remove salt from seawater.

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Graphene forms a single-layer hexagonal structure of carbon atoms. Source: University of Manchester

Graphene is a cutting-edge material composed of a flat hexagonal lattice of Carbon atoms. Each layer of graphene is two-dimensional on an atomic scale, meaning it's only one atom thick. This structure generates some very interesting properties — it exhibits tensile strength higher than steel, it's nearly transparent, and it's a highly efficient conductor of heat and electricity. One form of graphene, graphene oxide, has a microscopic structure which enables it to form a filter with extremely small pores.

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A depiction of water molecules passing through a graphene filter. Source: University of Manchester

Scientists at the University of Manchester recently announced research which demonstrates the effectiveness of graphene oxide for desalination. These filters can reportedly be produced easily in the lab, and the membrane pore size can be precisely controlled to less than one nanometer in size. Common salt molecules found in seawater are about one nanometer in size, so the membrane efficiently strips salt from water molecules while retaining a high flow rate.

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Until now, this level of control over graphene membrane pore size was not possible. Researchers say more work needs to be done to prove these filters work on an industrial scale, and to document the filter cleaning or replacement intervals, but this study still represents a major step forward in seawater desalination. The initial testing shows these graphene oxide filters can reject 97% of common salt (NaCl) in water.

In layman's terms, this presents the possibility of simple, portable, high-flow molecular filters which can convert seawater into drinkable water. For survivalists, especially those who live near the coast, that's an exciting prospect. For more info, check out this article from the BBC or read this University of Manchester press release.

New: Limited-Edition 5.11 Tactical Duty Kilt

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When we published our April Fool's Day post last week, the Survival Fashion Buyer's Guide, we got a few salty responses on social media because we didn't actually spend days compiling and photographing 25 of the latest glamorous tacticool outfits. As much we would've liked to devote our resources to an in-depth satirical guide, our editorial team simply didn't have the manpower to divert from our other serious projects. However, after much demand from their customers, the guys at 5.11 Tactical have decided to make their April Fool's project a reality — and the results are pretty entertaining.

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Back in 2012, 5.11 Tactical came up with an April Fool's Day joke about offering a tactical kilt. Much like our post this year, it was just a joke at the time. But then the company started receiving purchase requests from paying customers. So, they set out to turn this Tactical Duty Kilt (TDK) into a real product. For a limited time each year, the once fictitious 5.11 Tactical Duty Kilt is actually offered for sale through the company's web store.

“A standard kilt says you're a man. A 5.11 Tactical Duty Kilt says you're a bad man.”

The 5.11 Tactical Duty Kilt is designed for the man who's not afraid to flaunt his undercarriage, free from the stifling constraints of traditional pants. It's built from TACLITE polyester/cotton ripstop fabric with reinforced triple-stitching and a water-resistant Teflon coating. It features front slant pockets, as well as interchangeable TDU cargo pockets which can accommodate AR magazines.

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The belt loops are sized for a 5.11 Tactical 1.75-inch Duty Belt, and they include dual fixed D-rings. The Tactical Duty Kilt is offered in six colors: black, moss green, MultiCam, khaki, stone grey, and burnt brown. Sizes range from 28-inch waist all the way to a 54-inch waist. MSRP starts at $75 for solid colors, or $80 for MultiCam.

“The hiiiills are alive with the sound of gunfire…”

Like previous years, the 5.11 Tactical Duty Kilt will only be available for purchase this year while supplies last. For more information on the 5.11 TDK, go to 511tactical.com/kilt.

Infographic: Sunburn, Sunscreen, and SPF

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The sun is an incredible force of nature — its heat, light, and gravitational pull make life on this planet possible. Without the sun, there'd be no plant life, no animal life, and certainly no human life on Earth. However, the sheer power of this celestial body also has some unfortunate consequences. The sun generates ultraviolet (UV) radiation that has the potential to damage our skin cells, leading to painful redness, peeling, blisters, and even cancer.

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A diagram of sunburn's cause and effect, via the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Those of us with fair or sensitive skin know the excruciating pain of a sunburn all too well. For some, being out in direct sunlight for a mere 30 minutes can lead to a visible sunburn. Other skin tones may be more resilient, but if you're outdoors for an extended period, it catches up with most of us eventually. Under normal circumstances, a severe sunburn is uncomfortable and annoying; during a survival situation, this condition can be crippling.

Sunscreen is the obvious choice for preventing sunburns, but there are many misconceptions regarding its use. For example, you're probably not applying as much sunscreen as you should; studies show that it takes the equivalent of a shot glass full of it to protect your entire body. You also might think that the SPF (Sun Protection Factor) scale is simple enough, but it's actually not as straightforward as it appears. A sunscreen with SPF 30 is not twice as effective as SPF 15 — the former blocks 97% of UVB rays, while the latter blocks 93%.

The following infographic from the Cleveland Clinic gives some basic tips on “sunscreen smarts”:

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Here's another useful infographic from sunscreen producer Eucerin. It provides some statistics to reinforce the importance of protecting your skin.
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Making a Minimalist Survival Bow & Sinew Bowstring

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When you're preparing for any outdoor excursion or survival scenario, it's wise to bring a generous supply of food with you. This ensures that under normal circumstances, you'll have enough to eat until you can make it to safety and resupply. However, there are some cases when resupplying or scavenging is not an option. If you become stranded, or the food distribution network is interrupted, you'll need to go hunt for food — and make it quick, because your food reserves will dwindle with every passing hour.

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Obviously, having a hunting rifle and plenty of ammo is the best-case scenario. When you don't have those items, you'll need to improvise. One tool that can provide an effective means of hunting is a bow, and it's possible to craft your own bow with some sturdy yet flexible wood and a sharp knife. Primitive cultures have been making simple wood hunting bows for centuries.

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In the following 10-minute video, YouTube historic hunter Shawn Woods makes a minimalist survival bow out of ocean spray wood. The only tool he uses is a sharp knife, namely a square-tipped stainless fixed blade called a takenata hatchet. In an ideal world, you'd want to season and treat the bow wood for maximum longevity, but this simple bow works surprisingly well, even using living green wood.

Shawn selects a thick and pliable piece of ocean spray bush, also called creambush or ironwood, and cuts it into the bow stave. He intentionally leaves the bark intact on the back (outermost portion) of the bow, and shaves down the belly carefully to allow the thinner wood to bend. At first he works with a chopping motion, and then uses his blade as a draw knife to smooth out the limbs. After forming a tapered handle and adding notches, he can string the bow.

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Paracord or any manmade cordage could work as a bow string, but if that's not available, you'll need to make your own. One traditional method uses animal sinew — in other words, dried tendons which can be broken down into individual fibers. These fibers are then moistened, and twisted together in a two-ply braid, with new fiber fed in gradually until the desired length is achieved. The video below shows the complete method:

Of course, you'll also need arrows and arrowheads, but that's yet another project. Shawn Woods covers numerous arrow designs on his channel, including Cherokee two-fletch arrows, Norwegian slate arrows, and ancient mesolithic microblade arrows. Check out his channel if you're interested in learning more about survival bows and primitive archery.

New: Garmin inReach GPS with Satellite Text Messaging

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Navigation and communication are two essential survival skills — the first is necessary to travel safely from A to B without becoming hopelessly lost, the second is critical for any group or collaborative survival effort.

With sufficient training and knowledge, it's possible to rely on primitive methods of orienteering and communication, such as celestial navigation and smoke signals. But we've come a long way since the days when those were the only options. Technology has made our lives much easier, so we might as well make use of it while it's available. Obviously, if the grid goes down and electronics become useless, we can fall back on primitive methods — until then, it's wise to use the best tech available.

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Left: the Garmin inReach SE+. Right: the inReach Explorer+ with TOPO maps and added sensors.

Early this year, Garmin announced the release of a new inReach line of devices which combine GPS navigation and two-way satellite communication. The Garmin inReach SE+ and inReach Explorer+ are the first Garmin devices with these capabilities, some of which were acquired through the company's purchase of DeLorme in 2016. Both devices have Pole-to-Pole global Iridium satellite coverage for two-way text messaging and SOS alerting anywhere in the world.

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Much like a smartphone, the Garmin inReach devices can send text messages to and receive replies from any cell phone number or email address. But, thanks to the network of 66 Iridium satellites, these devices can do so from anywhere in the world with 100 percent seamless coverage. Accessing this satellite network requires a monthly subscription, which ranges from $12 to $100 per month depending on usage level.

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If something goes wrong, there's also an interactive SOS feature — here's how it works:

  1. You press the SOS button to send an emergency alert.
  2. The GEOS 24/7 search and rescue monitoring center responds quickly, confirming that help has been called.
  3. You describe your emergency so responders know whom and what to send.
  4. Responders advise you when to expect assistance — and suggest potentially life-saving actions to take in the meantime.
  5. You communicate with friends and family, letting them know the situation and where to contact the rescue team.
  6. Help arrives. You’re able to coordinate any logistics or medical care that may be needed upon your return.

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Both the inReach models also include a built-in GPS for location tracking and basic navigation. For $50 more, the Explorer+ adds pre-loaded topographic maps, as well as a compass, barometric altimeter, and accelerometer for more sophisticated navigation capabilities. Both models offer location sharing, so your friends and family can follow your progress from a computer or smartphone if you enable the feature. You can even embed the GPS progress tracker on your Facebook page or blog.

The Garmin inReach SE+ is available at an MSRP of $400, and the inReach Explorer+ is $450. For more information, go to Explore.Garmin.com.

Vehicular Terrorist Attacks: Strategies for Safety and Survival

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You can feel the energy and excitement in a crowd of revelers at festivals, parades and other large outdoor public gatherings. Whether it’s a day of sightseeing around popular landmarks or an evening of shared pride and patriotism at a fireworks display, being caught up in a crowd can be part of the fun. But in a flash, that energy and excitement can turn to horror punctuated by the sounds of screams, screeching tires, and the roaring engine of a car or truck used as a powerful weapon by a fanatic in a vehicular terrorist attack.

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It is critical to your safety and survival to understand this emerging threat and have an action plan in mind. You can deprive the attacker of the element of surprise by keeping a high level of situational awareness and knowing what you will do to keep yourself and your loved ones safe. Read on for a roadmap to help you survive a vehicular terrorist attack.

The Poor Man’s Weapon of Mass Destruction

At holiday celebrations in France and Germany, on an ordinary day at Ohio State University, and most recently in London, violent extremists have used cars and trucks to plow into unsuspecting crowds in this low-tech form of terrorism. In some instances, the attackers have followed the ramming attack with knives or firearms to inflict more carnage. These individuals see crowds as target rich environments and an opportunity to conduct a terror attack on the cheap. While this tactic dates back to the early 1970s, vehicular terrorist attacks are now viewed by some as the poor man’s weapon of mass destruction, and they are on the rise.

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The Terrorist’s Playbook

Propaganda and training materials from violent extremist groups such as ISIS and Al Qaeda provide inspiration and instructions for violent extremists to target public gatherings for vehicular assaults. One such publication featured a glossy, full-page photograph of a Ford F-350 pickup under a banner headline calling the truck “the ultimate mowing machine.”

Above: An article in a 2010 issue of a prominent terrorist propaganda publication encouraged the use of vehicles to attack crowds.

This sort of attack is very difficult to detect or deter. The skill level necessary to execute a successful vehicle attack is extremely low compared to operations using firearms and/or explosives. Accessing a vehicle does not raise the same red flags as attempting to acquire illegal firearms or bomb-building materials.

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People are now more aware of the risks and the basic action steps to survive an active shooter incident, but far fewer know what they would do to protect themselves and their loved ones during a vehicular terrorist attack. Like active shooter incidents, most vehicular attacks are over in minutes. Your survival will depend on how quickly you can move from shock, denial and indecision to effective life-saving actions.

Four Pillars of Survival

Going to a large gathering alone or with a group, your best defense rests on four pillars of survival:

  1. Planning
  2. Pre-event reconnaissance
  3. On-site situational awareness
  4. Communications

Attackers start their planning long before the attack; your survival plan must also begin well before the day of the event.

Pre-Event Planning

Bad guys do their homework, and you must, too. Prior to the event, try to identify:

  • Peak times when the greatest numbers of people will be gathered.
  • Likely security or law enforcement posts or checkpoints.
  • Sections of roadway where the driver can build up speed before veering into a crowd.

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  • The locations of barriers and bollards.
  • Areas that afford victims few routes of escape.
  • Choke points that can cause dangerous escape stampedes.

Good situational awareness involves identifying both risks and resources. Risks are those things that may hurt us; resources are the people, places and things that might help us if the going gets tough. We don’t do our best thinking during moments of terror, so having a plan and engaging in mental rehearsal of your response can make a big difference if things go wrong.

Before attending large public gatherings, consider:

  • Reviewing event maps or routes.
  • Visiting the location to get the lay of the land.
  • Bringing with you only what you really need for safety and comfort so that you have less gear to manage if you must move quickly.
  • Carrying a pocket-sized Individual First Aid Kit (IFAK) for self-care and care of others.
  • Having a discussion with your group of friends and family to develop contingency plans for communications and reunification if things go sideways.

Communication with your loved ones may be difficult in the immediate wake of an attack. It helps to have critical contact numbers in writing and tucked away in a wallet or pocket. You may not be able to recall these numbers under extreme stress, or if your phone is lost or damaged in the melee. Separation from loved ones is the greatest source of anxiety during a crisis, so develop a backup communications plan.

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Pre-determine reunification spots by envisioning the direction you think most people will run to flee an attack, then establish your primary and secondary reunification points slightly outside of those high-volume routes. In the chaos, it may be impossible to hear each other calling out loud or by phone, so consider alternative means of signaling your location. A small, powerful flashlight can be seen in broad daylight. These lights, especially those with a strobe feature, are excellent tools for visually communicating your location if you are unable to do so by other means.

During the Event

  • Don’t worry about getting a front row spot at a special event. In vehicular terrorist attacks, those at curb side are the most vulnerable. Select your location based on safety, not simply on having a great view.
  • Avoid the center or densest parts of the crowd; try to stay on the fringe to allow yourself options for movement.
  • Stay near street corners rather than the middle of the block; this will allow for more avenues of retreat.
  • Don’t stand against walls, doors or other immovable objects where you could be pinned.
  • Avoid standing on, under, or around temporary structures like stages or viewing platforms. If struck by a hostile vehicle, the collapse of those structures and the people falling from them represent another source of danger.
  • Stay behind heavy security barriers or bollards, they can provide good cover and concealment from the vehicle attack, as well as shots fired by the attacker and/or the responding police.
  • Scout out places for cover and concealment, such as concrete walls or large trees.
  • Look for places of refuge, such as open stores or alleys that you can duck into if a hostile vehicle or frantic crowd passes by.
  • Pay attention to the roads for any vehicle which moves erratically or diverges from the normal traffic pattern.
  • If an erratically-moving vehicle veers toward you or the crowd, don’t just run from danger; run towards safety.

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Act in Time

Bystander intervention can make a critical difference, but before providing care for others, make sure that it is safe to do so. In the initial post-attack environment, it is likely that:

  • There will be a great deal of chaos, confusion and panic, as well as stampede of people running for their lives.
  • There are likely to be multiple, if not overwhelming numbers of casualties.
  • Injuries will range from mild to catastrophic. Some may be extremely graphic or gruesome adding to the terrorizing effect of the attack.
  • Some injuries may involve the loss of limbs; many will result in severe bleeding.
  • Individuals with severe blood loss can die within minutes without intervention. Bleeding control (B-CON) will be a high-priority.

While the action steps recommended during the event are intended to stop the killing, the steps recommended in the immediate aftermath of a vehicular attack are meant to stop the dying.

  • Once the vehicle comes to a halt, don’t be a hero and approach it or try to engage the attacker. If you are near where the attack vehicle has come to rest, move away. It is quite possible that the perpetrator can exit the vehicle and continue the attack with firearms and/or edged weapons.
  • Be aware of the risk of multiple attackers or explosives, as well as other harmful materials which may be onboard.
  • Prioritize your safety and survival, and that of your family or friends. You must use your judgement in these stressful moments to determine if it is safe enough initiate care for the injured or to put distance between you and the impact zone.

No matter how quickly professional emergency responders arrive, bystanders will always be first on the scene. The uninjured can initiate critical bleeding control and save lives by acting quickly and decisively. Check out the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s “Stop the Bleed” campaign to learn more about this topic.

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Kumbaya or Chaos

The same dynamics that make large public events fun and exciting also make them attractive targets for terrorists. Being aware of the risks, engaging in pre-event planning and preparedness, and knowing how to respond during and immediately following a vehicular terrorist attack can make participating in large public gatherings safer for you and your loved ones. Stay sharp, have fun, and let's not let the bad guys drive a wedge of fear any further into our lives than necessary.

About the Author

Steve Crimando, MA, BCETS, CHS-V, is the founder and principal of Behavioral Science Applications, and an internationally-known expert in human factors in homeland security, violence prevention, and urban survival. He specializes in unconventional threats such as crowd violence, biological and radiological terrorism. With nearly 30 years of front-line experience, he was a responder to both the 1993 and 9/11 World Trade Center attacks. He coordinated on-site psychological operations at New Jersey’s Anthrax Screening Center, and has worked alongside authorities during many international kidnapping cases and other acts of terrorism.

Primitive Technology: Making Termite Mound Clay & Pottery

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If you're interested in bushcraft and primitive survival skills, Primitive Technology never fails to entertain. This Aussie YouTuber continually produces videos that are as informative as they are impressive. In the past, we've followed along as he built a grass hut, trapped wild shrimp, and tilled a sustainable garden. As his miniature settlement evolves, he remains silent, and dutifully documents each step on camera.

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A termite mound provides the raw material necessary for clay production.

This week's Primitive Technology video shows how to gather natural clay from termite mounds, dig out a kiln, and process the clay into several types of simple pottery.

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This hole in the ground was gradually built upward into a kiln.

The process starts with breaking off pieces of termite mound, crushing them into smaller chunks, adding water, and working the mixture into a paste by stepping on it with bare feet. This new termite clay and some existing river clay were stacked around a fire pit in the ground, and sculpted into a kiln — that is, an insulated high-temperature oven used for hardening pottery, tiles, or bricks.

A clay base grate was installed atop the fire pit, and circular walls were built around it. Fire was used to periodically harden the structure. With the kiln complete, it was then time to gather more clay for pottery production. The host chose a red clay termite mound, crushing it and adding water once more.

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The red clay was formed into several items: a large urn, a small pot, a forge blower (no doubt for a future video), and some roof tiles. After heating the pottery to a dull glow in the kiln for a few hours and allowing it to cool, it was ready to remove and use. The urn was used to water the cassava and yam garden he built in his last video.

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Watch the full 11-minute video below. Remember to turn on subtitles for added info as the video progresses, and check the video description for a highly-detailed analysis of each step.

At this rate, it seems like the host will be entering the Bronze Age within a few dozen more videos. We can't wait to see him smelting ore and forging blades.