El Lahun

Built around 1880 B.C.E., during the 12th dynasty, this was a most significant town of the Middle Kingdom, El Lahun or the town of pyramids. Meant for workers and supervisors hired for the construction work on the tomb of Sesostrist II, an enclosed settlement within a framework divided into two parts by a thick wall was built here, in line with the social hierarchy. The structure articulated by streets and lanes is organised in an orthogonal system of defined directions. North-south and east- west routes divide the area of the 350 x 400 m rectangular site into smaller sub-units. The western third of the area contains the workers’ dwellings. The smaller dwelling units with a small floor area turned to face each other are accessible via the side streets opening from the main routes. Along the wall separating the two areas, dwellings for supervisors are included. On the larger eastern side of the town, buildings for the officers, priests and the more representative ones for the pharaoh are included, along the road starting from an urban plaza. Each apartment is an introverted one, facing the centre in each case with a north-facing courtyard as their focus and solid facades overlooking the lanes.