Learn about the river Nile and it's importance to the development of ancient Egyptian civilization.
The ancient Egyptians called the dark fertile soil of the Nile "the black lands," and the surrounding desert was referred to as "the red lands."
The dramatic difference of productive land opposed to barren desert had a deep influence on cultural ideology, mythology and religion.
The Nile determined much of Egyptian civilization. For example, the seasonal cycle of the Nile was so consistent that ancient Egyptians created their calendar around it.
The flood season, or Akhet, was when the departing floodwaters left arable soil for crops. It was followed by the growing and harvesting seasons known as Peret and Shemu.
These regular seasons along with abundant wildlife and rich soil meant that Egypt's denizens were able to nourish themselves, and their country’s strength in trade.
The river Nile, flowing from the south to the north, neatly traversed through both Upper and Lower Egypt.
All of Egypt's major cities were built along this narrow ribbon of life.
Protected by mountain ranges and deserts which acted as natural barriers to enemies, and sustained by the Nile's plants and wildlife, Egyptian civilization enjoyed economic and cultural prosperity for over 4000 years.
Both ancient Egyptians and ancient Greeks referred to the Nile as "the river" in their respective languages.
Stretching a distance of over 6700 kilometers, the Nile is one of the longest rivers in the world. It flows south to north, spanning eleven countries.
The river Nile originates in the region of the great subequatorial lakes, including one of the largest in the world, Lake Victoria near Tanzania.
The river flows through African equatorial forests, swamps, volcanic lands, steppes and deserts, splitting apart for a while, and picking up various sediments from each region and carrying them all the way to Egypt.
Its main artery, known as the White Nile, rejoins with the Blue Nile in Khartoum. This is where it weaves through rich deposits of silt and nutrients, carrying them along in its wake.
The Nile crosses six cataracts from the south to the north, creating natural obstacles between the various sections of the river.
The cataracts are long zones of about 100 kilometers where the bubbling and rapidly swirling waters advance tumultuously amid enormous heaps of rocks and benches of hard stone.
It is after crossing Nubia and the first cataract that the river officially returns to Egypt, In Aswan.
There are still a thousand kilometers before it reaches Cairo and the Delta, bringing life to those living on its shores, before it eventually empties into the Mediterranean Sea.
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Ancient Egyptian irrigation and water use was centered around the Nile. However, they also had access to streams and rivers, as well as several large lakes.
The Delta, situated at the north end of the Nile also known as Lower Egypt, is a large irrigated area where the river splits into several tributaries.
The Delta had several major brackish coastal lakes, bodies of water separated from the sea by thin strips of land.
A mix of deep to shallow waters, salt swamps and sand plains, these lakes were refuge to a wealth of species, as well as water and land plants.
The occasional bandit could also be found, sheltering within the denser reeds, waiting for the unwary traveler.