The Nile River
The Life Giver of Ancient Egypt
Transportation &Trade
First, the Nile was Ancient Egypt's highway. Then, egyptians had sailboats which used sails when sailing South and rowed with the current when sailing North. Also, Egypt made trade with many other civilizations, such as African kingdoms for wild animal skins, ivory tusks, ebony, frankincense, ostrich feathers, and slaves. They also traded with middle Eastern kingdoms for silver, lapis lazuli, copper, cedar, oils, and horses. You might ask,"what did Egypt have to offer?" here's what they had, gold, papyrus, linen, cattle, and high quality stone for building.
Calendar & Farming
The Egyptians divided their year into three seasons. Inundation, Emergence, and Drought. During inundation, their fields were gently flooded by the Nile. During emergence, the fields emerged and Egyptians planted seeds in the mud. Finally, in drought, the plants flourished and the civilization harvested and prospered
Daily Life
First, most importantly, the Nile provided water for drinking, bathing, cooking, and much, much more in the life of Ancient Egyptians. The Nile also provided food, from fish to birds to hippos. The Nile also helped Papyrus grow and prosper. Papyrus was vital for Ancient Egyptians because they used it for baskets, sandals, boats, rope, and writing material.
Physical Features
- The Nile is the worlds longest river at4,135 miles
- The Nile flows from South to North (really rare)
- The Blue Nile and White Nile come together to form the Nile proper in Sudan
- Two of the six Nile cataracts were located in Ancient Egypt