Reed Architecture of the Marshes

Traditional CraftsMesopotamian Marshes

The mudhif: a vaulted reed hall unchanged in form since Sumerian times.

Made from qasab reeds bound into arches and covered in woven mats, a mudhif can be built in days and last for decades.

Where to experience it

Mesopotamian Marshes

A UNESCO-listed world of water, reeds and water buffalo — home of the Ma'dan people and their extraordinary reed architecture.

Stories24 September 20261 min read

Buffalo at dawn, reeds at dusk — what it's like to sleep in a mudhif in Chibayish.

By Omar Hassan

Our heritage journeys pair you with archaeologists and local historians.