Reed construction, Iraq

This is a very ancient building technique found in the marshes of southern Iraq. Using reeds for structural support as well as fine finishes, buildings are constructed on islands in the middle of marshy riverbeds. Using locally available reeds as the building material of choice, marsh inhabitants cut costs otherwise paid for materials available on the market. This material also makes for an eco-friendly option that absorbs carbon. Thick bundles of reeds are first formed and both ends are planted in the reed bed about 2 m (6.5 ft) apart, created structural arches. Horizontal bundles are bridged between arches for additional support along the length of the house. Four tall bundles are placed at each outer corner of the house, forming distinctive towers. A densely woven reed matting is placed over the roof area for shade and shelter while a more open weave is used for walls to facilitate air ventilation. The same loose weave is placed on the front and back end of the structure. One or both ends have a large opening. On the inside, bundles of reeds may be used to created beds and backrests, baskets, and floor mats. Homes, cattle shelters, and storage units are all made in this fashion. Walls are also constructed with loosely woven mats attached to structural bundles that are planted in the reed bed. Reed boats are a common means of transportation through the marshes. A mudhif needs to be rebuilt every 7  to 10 years, since the bottom of the building will start to rot. The base is cut away and the house is lowered and inhabited for a little longer before being abandoned.

Intellectuals are Night Owls

My comments on this article:


Exactly. While the rest of the world sleeps, we are contemplating life on a more profound level.


"The early bird may get the worm, but the night owl gets the whole jar."


Link:
Intelligent People All Have One Thing In Common: They Stay Up Later Than You
http://elitedaily.com/life/culture/night-owls-creative-intelligent/686025/

A few notes on homes, history, life in Oualata, Mauritania

Oulata, Mauritania

"My stay at Iwalatan (Oualata) lasted about fifty days; and I was shown honour and entertained by its inhabitants. It is an excessively hot place, and boasts a few small date-palms, in the shade of which they sow watermelons. Its water comes from underground waterbeds at that point, and there is plenty of mutton to be had." - Ibn Batuta 

The 14th century explorer Ibn Batuta found women enjoying much freedom in Oulata. A hotbed of scholarly knowledge and enlightened thinking, many of the towns scholars were in fact women whose writings continue to be retained and cherished, an attitude that is still reflected in the town's architectural features despite economic downturn lasting several centuries. To this day, women continue to decorate the exterior walls of homes in feminine motifs that specify four stages of a woman's life: the Virgin, the Young Woman, the Lady with long tresses (in her 30s), and the Matron. Yet another, most popular motif is the Woman with Hips, implicit of fertility and sexual fecundity.

The exterior benches provide a resting place for passers-by. They also contribute to the stability of the building's exterior walls. Homes are sustainably constructed from earthen material.

Niches in the wall can be found on the interior and exterior walls of a home. They provide storage space that does not protrude into living space, and so are a practical way to store valued items.

The 'ears' on either side of the entry each have a central square ablution stone. Since this Muslim town has minimal access to water resources, stones and earth are used for ritual cleansing before prayer. Here in Oualata, the local custom of placing ablution stones by the entry door keeps the stones pure since they are kept away from ground contamination. Guests and returning residents habitually purify themselves before re-entering the home.

For sustenance in this oasis town, domesticated animals are kept by families.

This now modest location once boasted a booming stop along the Saharan trade routes of the 13th and 14 century. With this great wealth influx, the residents of Oulata invested more time in the pursuit of knowledge. Oulata become a place of refuge for scholars, who flocked to from locales in northern Africa and Arabia. Medieval manuscripts written by both male and female authors are still found in homes, passed down through the generations by loving custodians.

Ref. Impressions of the Sahara, Jean-Loic le Quellac