Book excerpt: During this three-day colloquium, presented by the Getty Conservation Institute (GCI), a group of professionals with expertise in earthen conservation, materials science, construction, building standards, and earthquake engineering gathered to discuss the current state of knowledge and the challenges of preserving our earthen cultural heritage in active seismic zones. This publication contains a selection of papers presented at the colloquium, as well as several later submissions by participants. For more information on the Getty Conservation Institute's work with earthen architecture, visit the Earthen Architecture Initiative Web site at www.getty.edu/conservation/field_projects/earthen/.