Earthen Skyscrapers: Ancient Mudbrick Cities of the World
A historical tour of Shibam, Chan Chan, and other ancient cities built entirely out of mudbrick.
Think mud is only for primitive huts? Think again. Some of the most spectacular, architecturally complex, and enduring cities in human history were built entirely out of sun-dried mud bricks, standing as monumental achievements of engineering that have survived for hundreds of years in the harshest climates on Earth.
The Ziggurats of Mesopotamia
Mesopotamian builders construct the towering Ziggurat of Ur using an inner core of sun-dried mud bricks and an outer protective skin of baked bricks bound with bitumen. It stands as a monument to earthen engineering.
Shibam: The Manhattan of the Desert
In the desert of Yemen, master builders construct Shibam—a dense city of 500 mudbrick tower houses rising up to 8 stories high. It remains the oldest metropolis of high-rise earthen skyscrapers in the world.
Great Mosque of Djenné
Builders in Mali complete the current Great Mosque of Djenné, the largest mudbrick building in the world. Every year, the entire community gathers for a vibrant festival to re-plaster the mosque's walls with fresh mud.
UNESCO Heritage and Preservation
Today, these ancient earthen cities are protected UNESCO World Heritage sites. Modern structural engineers study their thermal performance and earthquake resilience, learning valuable lessons for sustainable urban design.