Ever wondered how our ancestors lived in the distant past and what exactly home sweet home looked like thousands of years ago? We transport you back in time for a glimpse inside the properties of both ordinary people and the privileged upper classes in Ancient Egypt, Iron Age Britain, the Mayan and Aztec Empires, and more. Click or scroll on to travel back to the past…



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.


The typical Minoan home contained a number of rooms, including separate toilets that were connected to water channels to wash away waste. The rooms contained fine furniture made mainly from wood, pieces of pottery, and other utensils. Walls were decorated with vibrant murals, many of which have survived into the 21st century.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.


The divided four-room house with an inner courtyard and separate spaces for livestock was typical of the Iron Age but was phased out after the 7th century BC. After that ordinary Israelis lived in one- or two-room homes made from stone or whitewashed mud brick with flat roofs accessed by ladders or a staircase.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.


The Aztec culture thrived from the mid-14th century until the Spanish conquest of 1519 to 1521. The Aztec Empire, which covered much of modern-day central and southern Mexico at its zenith, is highly esteemed for its agricultural and trading achievements in art and architecture. Monumental structures included pyramids and temples as well as palaces, with an advanced culture that still fascinates us today.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.


Even if they had the resources, peasants weren’t permitted to have fancy furnishings in their humble abodes. Aztec society was highly regulated in this regard and even elite homes were sparsely furnished. The contents of a typical house included reed mats for resting and sleeping, a small table, pottery and a little shrine for worship.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.



Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.


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