Mudbrick architecture in Egypt echoes with memory. It is a testament to Egyptian architectural history, and a witness to the years of social, political, and economic transformation. The earthen architecture of mudbrick was commonly used in ancient Egypt — to shelter the living and protect the dead. The unfired brick, which was mainly made from mud, river, or desert clay, was employed as a building material for domestic, funerary, and religious architecture. Though stone architecture was also quite popular in ancient Egypt, mudbrick architecture constituted more advantages, including being easy to construct and providing more comfortable and adaptable living and working environments. It is also a low-energy consuming and environmentally-friendly form of construction that is capable of keeping room temperatures relevantly stable through the changing seasons—a useful asset in the battle against pollution and climate change. To shed light on the process of change, loss, and preservation of the mudbrick heritage, a multidisciplinary team, including Egyptians and non-Egyptians, funded by the American Research Centre in Egypt (ARCE) traveled to Naqada, Qift, and Qus in the Qena governorate to record their historical mudbrick houses. “When we started documenting the mudbrick houses…
Beit Zaman: Celebrating Historical Mudbrick Architecture in Egypt
June 14, 2023
