Karshif is a traditional building technique that has been alive for more than a thousand years in Siwa Oasis, Egypt. This earthen technique, composed of salt, clay and sand, tells stories about the vernacular architecture, culture, knowledge and technical abilities of the Siwans. Despite its various environmental and sustainable qualities, this vernacular heritage is threatened to disappear. Since the mid twentieth century, Karshif buildings have been abandoned because of natural factors, and the formerly existing dream of the inhabitants of modernizing their lifestyle and their residences. Accordingly, this phenomenon has been affecting the tangible built heritage and the intangible knowledge and traditions of the Siwan community. Its identity has been gradually disappearing because of the traditional residences being replaced in the concrete revolution. Consequently, Siwa has been witnessing a rising tendency of conservation of its identity and earthen cultural heritage by the end of the twentieth century. Nevertheless, there is still a general gap in the local awareness of the significance of this earthen heritage and the technical knowledge of building and maintaining Karshif buildings. This paper aims to assist the researchers, architects and locals to understand the challenges affecting Karshif building technology. The paper presents a diagnostic framework based on synthesizing existing knowledge from on-site observations, conservation reports and relevant literature. Documenting patterns of Karshif degradation and highlighting knowledge gaps, the study contributes to sustaining this traditional technique for the current and future local and international generations.