The Gift of the Nile: Ancient Egyptian Geography

1. Unit 3 Ancient Egypt

3. Chapter 4 Ancient Egyptian Geography

5. Preface • Like Mesopotamian rivers, the Nile River brought fertile silt that invited human settlement along the Nile. • However, due to the geography of Egypt, Egyptian culture was more stable and enduring than that of Mesopotamia • Geography is destiny!

7. The Gift of The Nile • Geography was destiny for Egypt. • The Nile was the key to Egypt’s success. • Herodotus named Egypt the Gift of The Nile. • The Nile is the longest river in the world. • It runs for 4,000 miles northward from central Africa, through Egypt and into the Mediterranean Sea. • Ancient Egypt occupied a 750 mile stretch of the river valley.

9. Two Egypts • Upper Egypt is the southern portion. • Lower Egypt is the northern portion. • The Nile flows north from Upper Egypt to Lower Egypt. • The Nile river valley is 13 miles wide. • Beyond this fertile strip lies hundreds of miles of desert.

11. Cataracts • In Upper Egypt the rocky, hilly terrain caused cataracts, rapids, to form. • The 1st cataract is 750 miles south of the Mediterranean Sea. • The 1st cataract was the southerly border of Egypt. • 5 more cataracts lay south of Egypt and made sailing in that region quite difficult.

13. The Delta • A delta is a triangle-shaped region of land made of soil deposited by a river. • As the Nile pours into the Mediterranean it fans out into several branches forming a delta. • 2/3 of the fertile farmland in Egypt was located in the Delta. • The Delta was covered in swamps and marshes.

16. The Nile Floods • While little rain fell in Egypt, rain fell annually in the highlands of East Africa south of Egypt causing the Nile to flood. • These floods were easy to predict. • The Nile floods Upper Egypt mid-summer. • The Nile floods Lower Egypt in the fall. • The floods deposited fertile silt. • Silt is black, so Egyptians called their land the Black Land. • The dessert beyond the Nile was called the Red Land. • Without the floods, Egypt would be lifeless.

18. Egyptian Civilization Develops • The Nile provided water and fertile land. • Hunter-Gatherers arrived 12,000 years ago. They found edible animals, plants and fish. • Slowly farming developed and the HG settled along the Nile. • By 4,500 BC farmers in small villages grew Wheat & Barley. • More food led to more people=>villages

20. Irrigation Develops • Egyptians developed irrigation systems to direct water to crops and homes. • Egyptians built canals, but did not need to build basins for storing water like the Mesopotamians. • The Nile water sustained crops and allowed the raising of domestic families. • The Egyptians raised wheat, barley, fruits, vegetables, cattle and sheep. They caught fish also. They hunted geese and ducks. They ate a varied diet.

23. Natural Obstacles to Invasion • Natural barriers prevented invasion of Egypt. • The desert to the west was too hard to cross. The Mediterranean in the north kept most invaders at bay. • To the east, desert and the Red Sea kept out invaders. • In the south cataracts made invasion by boat difficult.

25. The 2 Kingdoms • Protected from invasion villages grew. • Wealthy farmers became leaders. • Strong leaders took over several villages • By 3,200 BC there were two kingdoms: Upper & Lower Egypt • Pe, on the NW Delta, was the capital of Lower Egypt. • Nekhen, on the west bank, was the capital of Upper Egypt. • The king of UE wore a white crown. • The king of LE wore a red crown.

27. Menes Unifies Egypt • 3,100 BC Menes rises to power in UE. • Menes might have been mythical. • Maybe he was Aha, Narmer or Scorpion. • His goal was to unify Egypt. • He conquers LE and marries a LE princess. • He wore both crowns and later combined them into a single crown.

29. Pharaoh Menes • Pharaoh, the title of the king of Egypt, means “great house.” • Menes founded the first dynasty of Egypt. • A dynasty is a series of rulers from the same family. • Menes built a new capital at Memphis located on the southern tip of the Delta. • Memphis was the political & cultural center of Egypt for 100’s of years.

31. First Dynasties • 1st Dynasty lasted 200 years. • The 1st Dynasty pharaohs extended Egyptian territory south along the Nile and into SW Asia. • Rivals eventually arose and deposed the 1st Dynasty and established the 2nd Dynasty. • Together the 1st & 2nd Dynasties ruled for 400 years.

34. Chapter 4 The Old Kingdom 2,700 BC – 2,200 BC

36. Preface • Egyptian society was based on a strict hierarchy of social classes. • A few royalty and nobles ruled Egypt. • The vast rest of the population supplied food, crafts & labor. • Few questioned this arrangement. • 2,700 BC the 3rd Dynasty came to power and began the Old Kingdom.

38. The Pharaoh • Egyptian society was based on the belief Pharaoh was a God and a king. • Egypt belonged to the gods and pharaoh came to earth to manage Egypt for the gods. • Being a god and representing the gods, Pharaoh’s power was absolute over everything.

40. Pharaoh’s Duties • Pharaoh had to ensure a good harvest. • He had to prevent disease, • Pharaoh had to guarantee profitable trade. • Pharaoh had to prevent war.

42. Khufu • Ruling in the 2,500’s, Khufu was the most famous Old Kingdom pharaoh. • Although he was cruel, he kept Egyptians well fed. • Khufu is best known for his monuments.

44. Social Hierarchy • By 2,200 BC Egypt had 2 million people. • Social classes developed. A hierarchy developed. • Egyptians believed a well ordered society kept the kingdom strong. • At the top was Pharaoh. • Below pharaoh was the upper class: nobles, priests & government officials. • Next was the middle class: scribes, craftsmen & lower government officials. • The next 80% was the low class: farmers, servants & slaves. When not farming, farmers worked on pharaoh’s building projects.

46. Trade • As society developed trade increased. • Traders traveled south along the Nile to Nubia to acquire, get, gold, copper, ivory, slaves and stone. • Traders venturing to Syria brought back wood for building and fuel.

48. Religion • Egyptians worshipped the gods daily. • Life was spent preparing for the afterlife. • Egypt was polytheistic, had many gods. • At first every village had its own god, but the OK demanded that Egyptians worship all the same gods. • The manner of worship varied from place to place.

50. Temples • Temples were built throughout Egypt for worshipping the gods. • Temples collected payments from worshippers and the government. • This wealth made the temples influential. • Over time certain cities became associated with the worship of particular gods. • Memphis was dedicated to Ptah.