Raqqa, Qasr al-Banat, courtyard with southern Iwan

Raqqa, Qasr al-Banat, courtyard with southern Iwan

A courtyard of a domed house in the village of Shaykh Hilal

A courtyard of a domed house in the village of Shaykh Hilal

A group of domed houses in the village of Shaykh Hilal

A group of domed houses in the village of Shaykh Hilal

View into a room in Palace G, Ebla (Tall Mardikh)

View into a room in Palace G, Ebla (Tall Mardikh)

Habuba Kabira, preparation of the clay mass for the production of clay bricks

Habuba Kabira, preparation of the clay mass for the production of clay bricks

Habuba Kabira, construction of the base of a mud brick house

Habuba Kabira, construction of the base of a mud brick house

Habuba Kabira, construction of the corner of a mud brick house

Habuba Kabira, construction of the corner of a mud brick house

Habuba Kabira, construction of a mud brick house before the circular of the domes is started

Habuba Kabira, construction of a mud brick house before the circular of the domes is started

Habuba Kabira, Mud brick construction - connection of wall, belt arch and dome rounding

Habuba Kabira, Mud brick construction – connection of wall, belt arch and dome rounding

Ghab plain: thatched mud houses, 1963

Ghab plain: thatched mud houses, 1963

Remains of ar-Raqqa Wall built of mud brick

Remains of ar-Raqqa Wall built of mud brick

Preparation of mud for construction in one of Raqqa villages

Preparation of mud for construction in one of Raqqa villages

A modern building and a traditional mud fence in one of the Ghouta fields of Damascus

A modern building and a traditional mud fence in one of the Ghouta fields of Damascus

Habuba Kabira, in the courtyard clay bricks are lying out to dry

Habuba Kabira, in the courtyard clay bricks are lying out to dry

Habuba Kabira, clay bricks are drying - at the edge of the village, because there is enough space

Habuba Kabira, clay bricks are drying – at the edge of the village, because there is enough space

Habuba Kabira, shell of the dome house made of dried clay bricks with quarry stone base

Habuba Kabira, shell of the dome house made of dried clay bricks with quarry stone base

Preparing dinner in the courtyard of a mud brick house in the outskirts of Raqqa

Preparing dinner in the courtyard of a mud brick house in the outskirts of Raqqa

Raqqa, Baghdad Gate, geometric decorations in the niche, built with bricks

Raqqa, Baghdad Gate, geometric decorations in the niche, built with bricks

Habuba Kabira, shell of a dome house made of clay bricks

Habuba Kabira, shell of a dome house made of clay bricks

Habuba Kabira, building a cantilever dome house - in the foreground clay bricks, which are to be used soon

Habuba Kabira, building a cantilever dome house – in the foreground clay bricks, which are to be used soon

Habuba Kabira, the stacked bricks under the relieving arch are removed by the master bilder

Habuba Kabira, the stacked bricks under the relieving arch are removed by the master bilder

Habuba Kabira, construction of a relieving arch using piled bricks, which are later removed

Habuba Kabira, construction of a relieving arch using piled bricks, which are later removed

Habuba Kabira, mixture of sifted raw loam, chaff and water to produce clay bricks therefrom

Habuba Kabira, mixture of sifted raw loam, chaff and water to produce clay bricks therefrom

House with mud decoration as door framing in the village of Qalʿat Najm, that was flooded by the Tishrin dam

House with mud decoration as door framing in the village of Qalʿat Najm, that was flooded by the Tishrin dam

The general structure of the example dome house in Taanayel (Libanon) before the end of the construction process

The general structure of the example dome house in Taanayel (Libanon) before the end of the construction process

A woman putting mud in molds to form bricks in a village in Raqqa

A woman putting mud in molds to form bricks in a village in Raqqa

ʿAyn al-ʿArus, view into the ceiling of a village mud bricks house, armenian owners

ʿAyn al-ʿArus, view into the ceiling of a village mud bricks house, armenian owners

ʿAyn al-Khadra, Village school from mud bricks, not used any more

ʿAyn al-Khadra, Village school from mud bricks, not used any more

In the southern part of Tall Abyad, remains of the church made of mud bricks

In the southern part of Tall Abyad, remains of the church made of mud bricks

in the Ghab plain: thatched mud houses, 1963

in the Ghab plain: thatched mud houses, 1963