Egyptian Houses and Homes

We can get some idea of what ordinary houses were like in ancient Egypt by looking at model houses that have been found buried in tombs. We can also look at surviving Egyptian houses built in the traditional way. Both were constructed of sun-dried mud, covered over with a thin layer of plaster. Both were built to a simple, square design, with a flat roof, sometimes topped by a terrace where the inhabitants could sit and enjoy the cool, fresh, evening air. Inside, the rooms were small and dark, with narrow windows and low ceilings. Some houses had two storeys; others were all on one level. Many had cellars for storage, dug into the rough ground underneath.

Most people lived in villages, clustered along the banks of the River Nile. Village houses were built close together, for strength and security. The villages were surrounded by ditches and fields. Nearby, was the bleak, endless desert, for the Egyptians this was the home of the dead.

Now answer these questions using full sentences

1. How can we tell what ordinary houses were like in ancient Egypt?
2. How were the houses constructed?
3. What shape were the houses?
4. What type of roof did they have?
5. What was the roof terrace used for?
6. Why were the rooms dark inside?
7. Where were the cellars of these houses?
8. Why were the houses built close together?
9. What were the villages surrounded by?
10. What did the Egyptians call the home of the dead?