A Grubenhaus (pl. Grubenhäuser compounded from the German Grube [pit or cavity] and Haus [house]) is a type of sunken floored building built in many parts of northern Europe between the 5th and 12th centuries AD. In the United Kingdom, they are sometimes also known as 'grubhuts' or 'grubhouses'.
Archaeological evidence indicates they were built in a shallow sub-rectangular pit around 250mm deep and measuring around 2m by 1.5m. Within this pit were placed two substantial wooden posts in postholes at either end of the long axis. It is likely that a suspended wooden floor lay over the pit and that the cavity beneath was used for storage or to control dampness although other interpretations consider that grubenhäuser did not have suspended floors at all. A gabled roof supported by the timber posts covered the hut which likely had no windows and had a single entrance at one end.
Grubenhäuser are often understood to be domestic dwellings. However, it is necessary to distinguish regionally. In Western Europe their small size and the fact that they can be found near to other buildings and associated finds of loom weights has led to theories that they had a specialised purpose such as weaving sheds. In the Slavonic regions of Eastern Europe, Grubenhäuser are larger and often have a fireplace. In most settlements there have been no features of buildings at ground level.
