The Egyptians were instrumental in artificial incubation technique and methods they also had an industry in providing the wild Pigeon or Rock Dove by natural incubation. The architectural design of the dovecote can still be seen throughout Egypt with many of them still functional today. The need for an abundant supply of doves for religious and agricultural purposes in Egypt may have encouraged the construction and design of these giant pigeon lofts. Naturalists and archeologists speculate that the design may have come about from observing the rock dove building nests along the banks of the Nile. In J.W Ludlow's writings( the artist of so many of the old poultry prints we see today),   comments in "Pigeons of Egypt" printed in the Journal of Horticulture, London 1871   Ancient Egyptian Dovecote "The Egyptian spend much time on pigeons. As you go by rail to Cairo, and as you ascend the river, you are never out of site of a mud-built village. The only story that is raised above the ground floor is the Dovecote This, therefore is the only object in the village, which attracts the eye of the passer-by. A mud tower full of earthenware pots for the pigeons to breed in. These are inserted-of course, lying horizontally in the mud, which the tower is built. In Upper Egypt these tows have assumed the square form, about 12 feet each side. Three or four tiers of branches are carried round the building for the pigeon to settle on; these are stuck into the wall, and as the branches depart from the straight line, each according to its own bent. No were noted without its dovecotes. I counted about forty of these dovecotes. The number of domestic pigeons in Egypt must be of several times as great as that of the population." Ludlows comments confirms that the Egyptians were possibly creating and industry of hatching pigeons naturally. Dovecotes were comprised of a series of complex rooms, corridors and courtyards. Ludlows description is an accurate account according to archeologist’s findings. The dovecotes were made of sun-baked brick, with clay pots used for nesting units. The basement of each tower was used for grain. Speculation does arise among archeologists as to the niches in the walls but most agree that these niches provide housing for the young squabs. Speculation is that squabs were kept there for fattening for market. What are amazing are the similarities in pigeon keeping and the architectural design of these buildings that may have come from Roman influence as early as 30 B.C. Varro writes of a complete method of Pigeon keeping in Italy which is similar to the ancient Egyptians.