AbstractThe present knowledge of the dynamics and structure of the solar convection zone is reviewed with the aim of checking current assumptions and conjectures against laboratory experiments and numerical modeling of thermal convection. Buoyancy is the only forcing considered. Rotation and magnetic fields are explicitly avoided. Nor are departures from planar geometry considered, except as regards large scale structures. Local theories are reviewed in section §2, hydrodynamic models in §3, non-local theories in §4, the global structure of the convection zone is discussed in §5 and the flow patterns in §6.