Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

BRICK, BRICK KILN

Oblong block of shaped mud or clay that has been dried either by the sun or by burning in a kiln for use in building or paving, and the furnace in which bricks are burned and hardened. Brick was the most extensively used building material in the ancient biblical world, especially common in Babylonia. The Hebrew word for “brick” is taken from a verb meaning “to be white,” referring to the appearance of the clay out of which brick was made.

In Babylonia, stone suitable for building was seldom at hand, so Babylonian architects used it sparingly, usually for lintels, thresholds, and door hinges. Babylonian bricks were made from the mud or clay of marshes and plains, after removing foreign substances such as pebbles. The clay was mixed with chopped straw or grass that, on decaying, released acids that gave the substance greater moldability. The brick maker added water, kneaded the mixture by foot, and molded it into square bricks, each about 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30.5 centimeters) across and 3 to 4 inches (7 to 10 centimeters) thick. The bricks were frequently stamped with a wooden block bearing the name of the reigning king (e.g., Sargon). Some peasant houses found near Babylon today have bricks containing King Nebuchadnezzar’s stamp.

Babylonian bricks were commonly burned in brick kilns rather than sun-dried. Sun-dried bricks disintegrated easily in heavy rainfall, whereas bricks burned in a kiln were virtually indestructible. Kiln-burnt bricks were used especially for facings, pavements, and important buildings. Archaeological remains of many brick kilns have been found in Babylonia.

Evidence exists of walls, temples, and storehouses constructed of brick in ancient Egypt, although almost no brick kilns (KJB “brickkiln”) have been found. Egyptian bricks were usually sun-dried rather than burned. Clay bricks were sometimes made without straw, but bricks made of mud from the Nile River required straw to keep them from falling apart. Egyptian bricks were rectangular, ranging from about 4 to 20 inches (10 to 51 centimeters) long, about 6 to 9 inches (15 to 23 centimeters) wide, and about 4 to 7 inches (10 to 18 centimeters) thick. Egyptian bricks were also often stamped with an identifying seal.

The Egyptians regarded brick making as a lowly occupation to be imposed upon slaves. Thus, during their bondage in Egypt, the Israelites were forced to make bricks (Ex 1:11-14; 5:6-19). Their suffering was increased by denying them the usual supplement of straw, since they had to take time to locate their own straw while keeping up the required production quota. The Israelites carried the art of brick making back to the Promised Land at the exodus.