Ancient Egyptian homes: mud bricks and reeds
Most Ancient Egyptians lived in small houses made of mud bricks. People made the bricks from Nile mud and dried them in the sun. They used reeds to make mats and parts of the roof, and they used palm wood for the roof beams. The roofs were flat, so families could sit and sleep there on hot nights. The windows were small to keep the sun and the heat out. We use was and were and the past simple to talk about the past. Read the table.
| Material | What people made |
|---|---|
| mud bricks | walls |
| reeds | mats and parts of the roof |
| palm wood | roof beams |
| linen | cloth for clothes and beds |
This house is small. What was it made of?
It was made of mud bricks. The people dried them in the sun.
Why were the windows small?
They kept the house cool.
An Ancient Egyptian family lived in a house of mud bricks. The walls were thick, so the rooms were cool. The roof was flat, and the family slept there on hot nights. There was a small kitchen with a clay oven. On the floor there were reed mats. The windows were small and high. Rich families had bigger houses with gardens.
Build a model. Make a small Ancient Egyptian house from clay, cardboard or small boxes. Colour it brown. Say: The walls were made of … . The roof was … . The windows were … . Tell the family why the windows were small.
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