"Manhattan of the Desert"... What makes the ancient city of Shibam a unique and amazing engineering achievement?

In the Yemeni desert lies the ancient Yemeni city of Shibam, with its mud-brick skyscrapers, a symbol of man's ability to adapt to harsh environments.

The ancient Yemeni fortified city of Shibam dates back to the 16th century and is the oldest city in the world to have been built vertically. When British explorer Soraya Stark came across Shibam in the 1930s, she called it the “Manhattan of the Desert.”

This intricately designed mud-brick city, its location and urban planning are a testament to humanity's strategic capabilities throughout history.

The ancient walled city of Shibam, Yemen

The ancient Yemeni city of Shibam is an engineering feat in a harsh environment. Located in the Rub' al Khali desert, the people who founded the city used the available resources to create a thriving settlement.

The city was founded on a high plateau above a huge flood valley, or river valley. The site had multiple functions. Its privileged position on the surrounding valley gave Shibam a lookout point that was once used to great effect to repel enemies.

Despite its high elevation, Shibam is not far from a watercourse oasis, giving people vital access to a source of fresh water for irrigation and drinking. This is evident in the agricultural lands surrounding Shibam, where locals grow a variety of vegetables and herbs such as alfalfa.

The urban planning of Shibam is simply stunning by both ancient and modern standards. The city is built on a rectangular grid surrounded by a fortified wall. The layout of the city is very efficient for the average citizen and a boon to the city’s defensive capabilities, which take advantage of its elevated position in the valley.

However, what makes the ancient city of Shibam in Yemen unique are its buildings. The skyscrapers that dot the city are seven stories high, a remarkable feat considering the time they were built. The buildings were constructed from the soil surrounding the city, combining local soil, straw and water and left for days to harden in the scorching desert sun, creating bricks.

The ground floors of the buildings are used as grain stores, and the windowless first floor preserves the grain. The upper floors are used as common areas and apartments. Some bridges connect the mud skyscrapers for easy transportation from one building to another and as a means of escape in times of danger.

The ancient city of Shibam faces severe challenges as the situation in Yemen worsens. In recent years, weather has threatened the mud-brick skyscrapers for which Shibam is famous. The civil war in Yemen has also posed a major threat to the city, with bombings damaging some of the ancient buildings.

Source: Greek reporter