Bodewash
Dried buffalo or cow dung used as fuel.
Buffalo chip
A naturally dried piece of bison dung.
Prairie coal
A humorous historical name for dried dung fuel.
Bois de vache
The American French expression associated with the origin of bodewash.
Sod house
A dwelling built largely from blocks of prairie sod.
Frequently asked questions
What does bodewash mean?
Dried buffalo or cow dung used as fuel.
Is it the same as buffalo chips?
The terms can overlap, though buffalo chips is more familiar.
Where did the word come from?
It developed from American French bois de vache.
Why did people burn dung?
Because wood was scarce or costly to transport.
Did only settlers use it?
No. Indigenous and pastoral communities had longstanding fuel knowledge.
Is indoor burning safe?
Solid-fuel smoke can harm health; this site documents history rather than recommending use.