ABSTRACT
SITTING IN THE evening on the terrace of Sheikh Sa'ids comfortable country house, I could watch sunset changing Shibam from a grey frown into a fairy-tale. In appearance the house resembled a small villa, the walls tapering towards the blue of the sky, the corners rounded and the whole effect extremely original; it was the first time that I had seen a house of this design built in mud, but going on to Sewun some time afterwards, I noticed the type was growing in popularity among houses ordered by the richer merchants.
