The Nile River
The Nile River is about 6 670 km(4 160) in length and is the longest river in the world. Only 22% of the Nile is in Egypt.
soil
The Nile River creates a lush green valley across the desert.
The Egyptians lived and farmed along the Nile, using the soil to produce food for themselves and their animals.
Food
soil
The Nile River creates a lush green valley across the desert.
The Egyptians lived and farmed along the Nile, using the soil to produce food for themselves and their animals.
Food
Ancient Egypt would not be here if the Nile never existed because rainfall is almost non-existent in Egypt, the floods provided the only source of water to sustain crops.
Each year, heavy summer rain in the Ethiopian highlands, send a large amount of water to overflow the banks of the Nile. After the water goes down whats left is a thick rich mud(black silt) which is extremely good soil to plant seeds in after it has been ploughed.
The ancient Egyptians could only grow crops in the mud left behind when the Nile flooded. So they all had fields along the Nile River.
Important Egyptian crops
Transportation
Ancient Egyptians used the Nile to go great distances and transport their goods. The Nile was like a highway to the Egyptians it was the main transportation system. The Ancient Egyptians didn't use the wheel often instead they used boats, donkeys, or they just walked. The wind on the Nile always came from the north so they used sails when traveling south but when they traveled north they used oars and currents.
The first boats were made from papyrus reeds later on during the middle kingdom at around 2686 BC they were replaced with wooden, sewn together with papyrus ropes. The boats were also used to carry large heavy stones that were used to build pyramids. The boat was also a religious symbol because on tomb walls there were images of boats carrying stones that was used to make the very pyramid they were craved on.
Each year, heavy summer rain in the Ethiopian highlands, send a large amount of water to overflow the banks of the Nile. After the water goes down whats left is a thick rich mud(black silt) which is extremely good soil to plant seeds in after it has been ploughed.
The ancient Egyptians could only grow crops in the mud left behind when the Nile flooded. So they all had fields along the Nile River.
Important Egyptian crops
- Emmer which had stopped being grown by the Roman period.
- Barley, used for baking bread and brewing beer.
- Wheat also used for making bread.
- Pekah, an unidentified type of cereal.
- Flax for the production of cloth and ropes.
- The naturally occurring papyrus reeds (which became extinct in Egypt and were recently reintroduced),used for paper, boats, ropes, mats, and many other things.
- Castor oil plant, from the fruit of which oil for many purposes was pressed.
Transportation
Ancient Egyptians used the Nile to go great distances and transport their goods. The Nile was like a highway to the Egyptians it was the main transportation system. The Ancient Egyptians didn't use the wheel often instead they used boats, donkeys, or they just walked. The wind on the Nile always came from the north so they used sails when traveling south but when they traveled north they used oars and currents.
The first boats were made from papyrus reeds later on during the middle kingdom at around 2686 BC they were replaced with wooden, sewn together with papyrus ropes. The boats were also used to carry large heavy stones that were used to build pyramids. The boat was also a religious symbol because on tomb walls there were images of boats carrying stones that was used to make the very pyramid they were craved on.