Harnessing the Elements – How Ancient Civilizations Kept Cool

Photo by Malik Shibly on Unsplash

The sun beats down on a whitewashed wall as it has for centuries, but inside the thick adobe dwelling, the air remains surprisingly mild. In an age long before humming air conditioners and electric fans, our ancestors found ingenious ways to beat the heat. Ancient civilizations, from Rome to Persia to the far corners of …