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What is a mudbrick? -

A mudbrick is a brick made of a mixture of loam, mud, sand, and water mixed with a binding material such as rice husks or straw. In ancient Egypt, workers gathered mud from the Nile river and then dug a pit and poured the mud in. They then trampled on the gooey sludge while straw was added to solidify the mold. Mudbricks are still made today. This photograph shows mudbricks used for Muslim graves drying in sunlight at a local cemetery in the village of Qum (Koom) on the West Bank of Luxor in the Nile Valley.

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Origins -

Pictured are fragments of a sun-dried mudbrick used in ancient Egypt dated back to 1200 BCE. Evidence of mudbrick construction unearthed at Tel Tsaf, located in the Jordan Valley, has been dated back even further, to 7200 BCE.

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Examples of mudbrick architecture -

Around the world are fine examples of mudbrick architecture, many dating back thousands of years. Let's take a look.

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Great Mosque of Djenné, Mali -

The Great Mosque of Djenné is considered one of the greatest achievements of Sudano-Sahelian architecture (characterized by the use of mudbricks and adobe plaster). There's been a mosque on this site since the 13th century, but what you see today largely dates back to 1907. One of the most famous landmarks in Africa, the Great Mosque of Djenné was designated a World Heritage Site in 1988.

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Khiva Wall, Uzbekistan -

The remarkable Khiva Wall encloses the inner town of historic Khiva, a city in Uzbekistan established 1,500 years ago. Khiva was the first place in Uzbekistan to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, in 1991.

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Ait Benhaddou, Morocco -

A World Heritage Site since 1987, the fortified village of Ait Benhaddou remains one of the greatest examples of Moroccan earthen clay architecture. Ait Benhaddou is a favorite film location, having appeared as a backdrop in numerous movies including 'The Man Who Would Be King' (1975), 'Gladiator' (2000), and 'Babel' (2006).

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Taos Pueblo, USA -

Taos Pueblo in New Mexico is prominent for its fascinating multi-storied residential complex of reddish-brown adobe, which dates back to at least 1,000 years. The destination is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Chogha Zanbil, Iran -

Mudbricks were used to construct this impressive ancient Elamite temple complex. Founded in 1250 BCE, Chogha Zanbil was the first Iranian site to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, in 1979.

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Arg-e Bam, Iran -

The Arg-e Bam citadel located at the city of Bam in Kerman province is the largest adobe building in the world. The original structure dated back to around the 6th century BCE. Sadly, much of the citadel was destroyed in a 2003 earthquake. Now largely rebuilt, the mighty fortress still retains its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Chan Chan, Peru -

Located near Trujillo, Chan Chan is believed to have been constructed around 850 CE. The largest city of the pre-Columbian era in South America, Chan Chan, which is protected by UNESCO, is effectively an entire archaeological site.

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Yazd, Iran -

Yazd is known for its unique Persian architecture, and especially its magnificent mudbrick wind towers found on the roofs of buildings clustered in the old town. The "City of Windcatchers," as the historical center is sometimes called, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Djinguereber Mosque, Mali -

Timbuktu's famous mosque was completed in 1327. The building features two minarets, 25 rows of pillars, and enough prayer space to accommodate 2,000 people. It's been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.

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Bobo-Dioulasso Old Mosque, Burkina Faso -

Bobo-Dioulasso's mosque, constructed in 1893, helps define this bustling West African city. It's another extraordinary example of Sudano-Sahelian architecture.

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San Miguel Mission, USA -

The historic San Miguel Mission near Santa Fe in New Mexico was built around 1772 and is one of the oldest churches in the United States. A National Historic Landmark and a working place of worship, mass is held in the chapel every Sunday.

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Zinder, Niger -

Zinder's old town, or Birni, comprises a collection of attractive mudbrick dwellings and is also home to Zinder Great Mosque, Fort Tanimoune, and the Sultan's Palace, all of which are similarly constructed.

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Dir'aiyah, Saudi Arabia -

The restored Saad ibn Saud Palace, standing in the town of Dir'aiyah near Riyadh, looms over several other old city mudbrick landmarks. Dir'aiyah was the original home of the Saudi royal family, and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010.

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Ghardaïa, Algeria -

Historic Mʾzabite, the traditional heart of this remote Sahara Desert city, is recognized for its tall, pyramid-style mosque, and distinctive white, pink, and red houses made of sand, clay, and gypsum. The area was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1982.

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Agadez Mosque, Niger -

Agadez Mosque is renowned for including the tallest mudbrick structure in the world within its walls, a 27-m (88 ft) minaret that was built in 1515. The historic town center has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

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Emarah Palace, Saudi Arabia -

Located in Najran, a city near the border with Yemen, the beautiful Emarah Palace is set in the historical center and exemplifies the region's traditional stone and mudbrick architecture.

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Naryn Castle, Iran -

The mudbrick fortress of Naryn Castle has been standing in the town of Meybod for 2,000 years. The stronghold's massive walls supporting four squat towers has survived numerous earthquakes.

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Segoukoro, Mali -

Rural Mali is dotted with surprising landmarks like this, the mudbrick mosque serving the village of Segoukoro near Segou, which is home to the Bambara people.

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Tamberma Valley, Togo -

Similarly, in the northern part of Togo, in the Tamberma Valley near Kande, the Tammari people, or Batammariba, live in mudbrick dwellings called tata or takienta.

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Seiyun Palace, Yemen -

Completed in the 1920s, Yemen's Seiyun Palace is one of the world's largest mudbrick structures. Unusual for its whitewash veneer, the structure stands in the city of Seiyun in central Hadramawt province.

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Wadi Hadramawt, Yemen -

Yemen's Wadi Hadramawt, located near Say'un, is a small village dotted with dwellings like this, simple but decorative mudbrick buildings, many of which are hundreds of years old.

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Qubba tombs, Sudan -

Unmistakable for their beehive shape, the mudbrick quabbas, or tombs, found near the deserted town of Old Dongola on the east bank of the Nile, peer over a Muslim graveyard.

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Turpan, China -

Not much remains of the old mudbrick city of Turpan, or Turfan, in China's Xinjiang region. What you see dates back to the 2nd century BCE when the city served merchants traveling the Silk Road.

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Fruglos, Syria -

These simple conical mudbrick houses are found in Fruqlos, a village situated between Homs and Palmyra.

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Clay and silt watchtower, Saudi Arabia -

This traditional clay and silt watchtower, later used as a granary, can be admired  in the country's Ahad Rafidah province.

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Shibam Hadramawt, Yemen -

Often referred to as the "Manhattan of the Desert," astonishing Shibam Hadramawt is an entire town of mudbrick skyscrapers, most of them built in the 16th century. The city is listed as a World Heritage Site, though UNESCO defines the destination as a "cultural heritage at risk" due to the ongoing civil war in Yemen.

Sources: (UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology) (PLoS ONE) (BBC) (National Geographic) (Taos Pueblo) (Wondermondo) 

See also: Yemen's cultural heritage at risk of destruction

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