In rural Egypt, where the Nile’s fertile banks meet the desert’s edge, mudbrick houses, some standing for centuries, remain both a living tradition and a testament to the enduring local practices of Egyptians. Mud, a humble blend of earth and water, has stood as a foundational element of human civilization for centuries. As modernity sweeps across the country, these unassuming structures, made from sun-dried bricks of Nile mud and straw, endure as powerful symbols of cultural heritage and community identity. Mudbrick architecture in Egypt dates back to the Predynastic Period, around 5000 BCE, making it over 7,000 years old. It served to install various structures in place, from homes to temples and workshops. Mudbrick was a particularly predominant building material for domestic architecture throughout its history. Structures like the Shunet El Zebib, meaning storehouse of raisins, a large mudbrick structure in Abydos, Upper Egypt, exemplify large-scale mudbrick construction. Built circa 2750 B.C., the structure, also known as Shunet or Middle Fort, used to serve as a funerary enclosure. Ancient Egyptians perfected the craft of mudbrick architecture, creating thick mudbrick by mixing mud from the banks of the river with grass…
