Ancient Greek houses

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Classical Civilization Essay On

Ancient Greek Houses

Part A

A typical Greek house was a lot different to our houses today.

The actual walls of the house were made from sunbaked bricks which were built on stone foundations; some houses even had a second storey. Roofs were made of tiles and windows were only a square hole with no glass, often rather high up. The windows were built high to avoid dust getting into the house on very dry, hot days. There were usually wooden shutters on the windows. The floors in the houses were sometimes made of mosaics, but in poorer households the floors were just beaten earth.  

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Most of the houses in towns were built very close together with a narrow ally way between them. The ally was also used by the household slaves as a place to throw their rubbish.

The house was often built around a courtyard. The courtyard had an alter in it which the family would gather round to pray to the gods. The prayers were led by the kyrios (head male of the household). The courtyard may also have held a statue of the god Zeuse and a well for getting water. If the house did not have a well ...

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