Although earthen construction has gained greater recognition through the works of renovators such as Hassan Fathy and in recent times because of its relevance to the environment, earthen construction techniques have been an indispensable part of the entire history of ancient Egypt. Most of the built environment was made of earth as the primary building material, regardless of its function or dimensions. Within this scenario, vaults played a fundamental role as a roofing solution, especially in funerary contexts, throughout the history of Pharaonic Egypt. This paper explores and evaluates the alternative motivations that led to the persistence of vaults, especially mud-brick vaults, in Ancient Egypt. To this end, we defend a multifocal analysis that assesses archaeological contexts, construction processes, structural features and cultural aspects, demonstrating how complex it is to approach ancient earthen vaults.