Let’s build a cistern
In medieval Alexandria, water was stored in large underground reservoirs supported by architectural elements that were salvaged from ancient monuments and then connected by arches. Based on archaeological examples, we have created a wooden model consisting of around fifty piecess (bases, column shafts, capitals, arches and walls), which the players have to assemble, using a plan drawn up by an architect from the CEAlex. The game introduces the function of the cistern (to store water for a year, taking advantage of the Nile flood), helps players recognise its shape (the different elements involved, as mentioned above), and helps them find their bearings in space (starting from the two-dimensional plan to construct a three-dimensional object).