History Life on the roof
In a land with almost no rain, a flat roof is an extra room. Egyptians climbed up to sleep in the cool night air, dry fish, fruit and grain, spin thread, and store fuel and animal fodder. At the workers' village of Deir el-Medina, stairs led from the houses up to the roofs.
History Catching the breeze
The cooler wind in Egypt usually blows from the north, off the Mediterranean Sea. Houses were often built to catch it, with openings facing north, and shady canopies made the roof a pleasant place to sit in the evening.
History A roof for the next life
Clay "soul house" models placed in tombs often have stairs to the roof and a little shelter on top. They were meant to give the dead a home, with a cool roof to rest on, in the next life.
Art In this artwork
The illustration shows a two-story family house with a big rooftop canopy, beds and cushions on the roof, and palm trees.
Look closer
- Find the beds on the roof.
- What gives the roof shade?
Think about it
- Why would people sleep on the roof?
- What could a roof be used for where you live?
- How do the people near you cope with very hot weather?
Key words
- Canopy
- A cloth or reed cover that gives shade.
- Fodder
- Food for farm animals.
- Breeze
- A gentle wind.
Sources
The history on this page is a short summary based on these sources:
- World History Encyclopedia, "Deir el-Medina"
- Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, University College London, pottery "soul house" models
- Barry Kemp, The City of Akhenaten and Nefertiti: Amarna and Its People (2012)
- Ian Shaw (editor), The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt (2000)
