As we are now in the height of summer, many of us are cranking up the A/C and spending long days at our community pools. We do what we can to escape the heat and stay out of the sun. How did our ancestors handle the summer heat across the world? While we might have visions of pharaohs and reclining Romans being fanned, that was a luxury for only the most elite people. So how did everyone else stay cool?
We will start off our summer series Beat the Heat in the Ancient World by looking at architecture that kept them cool.
Courtyards
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Courtyards, or private enclosed spaces surrounded by walls, were used across the Middle East and Europe from ancient times through today. The walls created shade during much of the day and increased air flow from other parts of the dwelling. Plants or water features like a pool or fountain brought down the ambient temperature even more. As night falls, courtyards fill with cold air which then flows from the courtyard into the adjacent rooms surrounding the central open space. There is archaeological evidence of courtyards in Ur in 2000 BC/BCE. Of course, the Romans and Greeks were known for incorporating courtyards into their homes and country villas like those in Pompeii.
Thick Walls
In places like Mohenjo-Daro, temperatures could reach about 135 degree F in summer! Thick walls were used there and throughout the ancient world to keep structures cool, but how did they work? As the sun rises, it starts to heat the outside of the stone or mud walls. As the day progresses, the sun slowly seeps into the walls, but because they are so thick, it takes most of the day before they reach the cool interior of the home. By that point, night is falling, and the walls begin to cool again! You can still see mudbrick like adobe used in construction today including the famous Great Mosque of Djenné which you can study in Mali Unboxed.
Dugouts
Have you heard of a yaodong? It is a type of earth shelter dug into a hillside and originally popular in Bronze Age China. 
The earth of the hillside serves to insulate the home, meaning that it stays cool in summer and warm in winter. Dugout shelters are used across the world including by Indigenous Australians and are seeing a revival as people explore eco-friendly building models. You may remember learning about the Jomon pit homes in ancient Japan!
Would you like to stay cool in a dugout home this summer? What would be the pros and cons of living in these different structures?
Rebecca McCormick is a writer and editor based in Fairfax, Virginia. She has a passion for history education and holds an MA in History of Decorative Arts. Rebecca believes that hands-on history and interacting with objects help learning come alive for children and adults.