During ancient times Egyptians lived in houses made from mud bricks. The annual floods brought a lot of mud which made the construction process easier. Brick makers molded mud into square shapes using wooden molds after which these were dried and hardened in the sun. The houses of the poor were made from single walls which were one brick thick, while those rich were made from double thick walls to ensure increased security. Wood was not used much in building due to its scarce availability in Egypt and much of it had to be imported from outside.
Home Design
Most Egyptian homes had a roofed-in central room and smaller rooms attached. The central room was the most used room of the house and the kitchen was usually nearby. The house of a nobleman had some extra rooms but the presence of a central room was still almost always present. For a rich person or nobleman the furniture was more ornate, the flooring was made out of mud tiles and was covered with a plaster-like material. Roofs were usually used as living space as the interiors were not lighted much and stairs leading to the roof was also seen in most homes.
Homes of the rich were bigger and contained at least 10 rooms also the walls were painted with a mixture of lime and water. The walls were usually painted in blue or yellow and the ceilings were colorful as well. The floors of the houses of the poor were made from beaten earth while those of the rich were covered with mud tiles.
Wear And Tear Was A Common Problem
The use of common material for building the houses of people in Egypt meant that the design of most houses in ancient Egypt displayed little variations. The houses in ancient Egypt were not long lasting and in just a few years they usually began deteriorating and crumbling. The houses often needed to be repaired as floods were common, especially when the Nile River started to overflow. Some houses were built on platforms to prevent the damage caused by floods. Sometimes rats also gnawed through walls so they had to be fixed and repaired.
Houses Of The Rich
Rich people in ancient Egypt owned big houses and most homes had gardens with swimming pools. Most gardens were very beautiful and peaceful.and had a path that was well constructed. The walls were higher to keep intruders out and guards often protected the property. Furniture commonly included a bed, a side table for books and much more. The kitchen meanwhile had few small tables and there were drinking vessel and dishes as well. Roof timber was covered with thatch and matting. In the houses of the rich there was a guest room and a set of rooms for the owner. There was a separate room for the woman of the house. The shortage of available land to make houses due to the vast hot desert terrain meant that most townhouses were multistoried in order to accommodate the population during the ancient Egyptian era.
