The private rooms and private courtyard

A private building with a second, private courtyard is connected to the east of the state courtyard (Fig. 4). Three rooms were built in one row divided by a mud-brick tower in the middle. The northernmost room of this complex was used as a private 'Majlis'. Its two doors enabled the family members to enter both courtyards from this room. Five windows point to the state courtyard in the west and to the Wadi in the north, but not to the east into the private courtyard. This concept made sure, that no guest would be able to take a glimpse into the 'Harim', the private area of the family.

While the 'Majlis' could be accessed from both courtyards, the successive rooms had their entrance from the private courtyard, due to their domestic use. The second room is a typical living room with its own plastered bathroom, separated by a wall in the northwestern corner. The southern end is raised into a platform, which served a dual purpose. Its three compartments were used for storage and covered with wooden planks to be used as a sleeping place.

Second and third room are divided by a mud-brick tower, built with a stone facing at the bottom up to 1.5m to save the mud-bricks from water erosion. The tower has two doors and may have been used as a guarded entrance from the state to the private courtyard. Its first floor could only be reached from the outside using a ladder to climb up to a little door. Vertical firing slots emphasize the defensive character of the tower. The last room of the private building was built without any niches or light hangers and may have been used as a stable or for storage purposes.

The examination of the whole private building revealed, that the 'Majlis' and the living room were built first as a separate unit. In that period the living room was used for storage only and the later bathroom corner served as a 'Madbasa' (date press).

A small mud-brick building complements the private courtyard in the east, where archaeological work is still in progress. It was assumed that it was used as a kitchen, store and servants quarter but turned out to be an independent complex of later times.