Mural paintings on traditional dwelling, Qurna village, Egypt

Original title reads, "Mecca painting (1964) on house of Mohammed Taya; Qurna village at Thebes, Egypt." [Elisofon field notes, March 1965]

"Due to a shared cultural background, common social and economic conditions and inherited building materials and techniques, slight variations distinguish the character of the majority of villages in the various regions of Egypt (Nubian villages in the south are an exception). The main vernacular types of building found in rural areas are houses of prayer, cemeteries and dwellings. The dwelling -a cluster of which forms the community- generally does not exceed two storeys. It serves as a home, a store and a stable. Elaborate decorations and even paintings can sometimes be found on specific house walls, although in some instances these are temporary, as in murals in Egypt which celebrate -and announce- the return of an individual from the pilgrimage to the 'Holy Kaba' in Mecca." [Oliver P., 1998: Encyclopedia of Vernacular Architecture of the World. Mediterranean and Southwest Asia. North Africa and Maghreb. Cambridge University Press]. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for American Institute of Architects, directing the Egyptian portion of the documentary on Ancient Egypt, March 1965 and September 1965.