It depends on how you define air conditioning. The story from the article describes different technologies from the modern AC unit: cold water and evaporative c

It depends on how you define air conditioning. The story from the article describes different technologies from the modern AC unit: cold water and evaporative cooling. But already the ancient egyptians used evaporative cooling for their homes. And with an even looser definition, we might include root cellars. They are also rooms with controlled temperature and humidity, dating even further back than ancient egypt.