INTRODUCTION
The River Nile, stretching about 4130 miles, is Africa’s and the world’s longest river. In Egypt, it forms a lush valley amidst the dry desert. This river is highly important as it gave rise to one of the oldest civilizations on Earth. The ancient Egyptians settled along its banks, building their homes and cultivating the land for sustenance.
The Nile is a river that flows through 9 countries, starting in Sudan and passing through Egypt before reaching a delta that leads to the Mediterranean Sea. For centuries, Egypt has relied on this river as its population and cities are primarily located along its banks in the Nile valley. Additionally, this area is home to many historical and cultural sites from ancient Egypt. The countries crossed by the Nile include Ethiopia, Zaire, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, and Sudan.
The river Nile is created by three main tributaries: the White Nile, the Blue Nile, and the Atbara. The White Nile is the longest of these tributaries, while the Blue Nile supplies most of the water and fertile soil. Despite contributing less than one percent to overall water flow, the Atbara merges with the Nile slightly north of Khartoum in Sudan. This river holds great importance for ancient Egypt’s civilization, which remains as one of history’s most remarkable civilizations.
ECONOMICALLY
The ancient Egyptians traded with foreign neighbors to acquire rare and exotic goods that were not available in Egypt. They engaged in trade with Nubia, a region located along the Nile in northern Sudan and southern Egypt, during the predynastic period. This trade allowed them to obtain gold and incense. The Nile River played a crucial role in facilitating this trade. In addition, the yearly flooding of the Nile River provided fertile soil which benefited the ancient Egyptians by allowing them to produce an abundance of food. They specifically cultivated plax plants, whose stem fibers were used to make thread and eventually linen – a highly sought-after commodity during that era.
Papyrus, a crop that grew on the banks of the river Nile, was utilized for boat-making, facilitating transportation and trade along the river. This trade gave rise to various occupations, including farmers cultivating crops, tailors creating linen clothing, and craftsmen using Egypt’s abundant building and decorative stones to fashion jewelry, statues, and tools. Sailors aboard trading ships were compensated with grain, which they could barter for clothing and food.
In ancient Egypt, shopping involved negotiating prices. The currency used was the Deben, which represented a .5 ounce copper weight. For instance, a pair of shoes or a razor would typically cost 2 Deben. However, for more valuable items like pigs (worth around 20 Deben), an exchange of equal value was required. Ancient Egyptian society had a hierarchical structure based on wealth. At the pinnacle were the pharaohs, followed by the upper class consisting of the royal family, scribes, government officials, priests, and soldiers. The middle class encompassed farmers as well as skilled workers such as craftsmen.
The Ancient Egyptian civilization had an advanced economy, with the lower class consisting of slaves and servants. With the existence of trade, various occupations, and the significance of the Deben, the Egyptians achieved great accomplishments.
SOCIALLY
The river Nile runs from the south to the north, reaching its delta on the Mediterranean Sea. Annually, the river Nile would overflow, carrying fertile soil with the water to nourish the land. The flood cycle in Egypt consisted of three stages: Akhet, when the Nile flooded, Peret, when crops were sown, and Shemu, the time of harvest.
The Egyptians were impacted by this situation as they had to relocate to places like temples during the flooding season. These temples were constructed to withstand floods and were located far from the Nile. Most ancient Egyptians built their houses using easily available materials, resulting in limited variation in house designs. In Egypt, wood was scarce, so they utilized mud bricks for construction. Mud bricks were made by combining mud and straw, forming a mixture that was then sun-dried.
Mud was abundant but not durable, so the houses made from it would deteriorate within a few years. These houses were typically meant for commoners who could not afford anything else, while wealthy nobles opted for stone constructions due to their sturdiness and higher cost. In ancient Egypt, papyrus was widely grown but too expensive for most people, which had an impact on students unless they were from wealthy families. As a result, students had to resort to using ostraka (flakes of limestone or potsherds) for their writing needs. Instead of blank papyrus sheets, they would use a potsherd or a limestone flake.
CULTURALLY
Crocodiles were a source of fear in the Nile River, upon which the ancient Egyptians heavily relied. Egyptians who worked or traveled on the Nile would pray to Sobek, the crocodile god, seeking protection from potential attacks. Sobek is often portrayed as a man with a crocodile head, representing his power and intimidating nature. According to certain Egyptian creation myths, it was Sobek who emerged from the chaotic waters and initiated the creation of the world.
As a creator god, Sobek was sometimes associated with the sun god Ra. In regions of Egypt where crocodiles were prevalent, many temples dedicated to Sobek could be found. In certain temples, sacred crocodiles were kept in pools and became quite docile as they were regularly fed high-quality meat. In other parts of Egypt, crocodiles were simply hunted and killed. Over time, Sobek also became a symbol of the bountiful harvests and fertility brought by the Nile. Thus, Sobek is known as the crocodile god.
On page 5, another deity named Hapi is mentioned. Hapi is the god responsible for the annual flooding of the Nile. His name translates to “Running one,” which likely refers to the current of the river. Hapi is typically depicted as a man with a large belly, wearing a loincloth, and possessing long hair and pendulous breasts resembling those of a female.
The annual flooding is believed to be the arrival of Hapi. This flooding brings fertile soil to what would otherwise be a barren desert, symbolizing the fertility of the land. The Egyptians did not understand the reason for the yearly floods, but they worshipped the gods Khnemu, Anqet, and Satet as the protectors of the river Nile. They believed these gods were responsible for releasing the proper amount of silt each year, while Hapi controlled the flow of the flood.
During the floods, the Egyptians would offer sacred amulets, sacrifices, and other items to Hapi, the god of the Nile. These offerings aimed to maintain an optimal flood level for the Nile. If the flood was excessively high, their mud homes would be demolished; conversely, if it was too low, there wouldn’t be sufficient water for their fields and cattle. Rainfall was rare in Egypt. As part of these rituals, statues of Hapi were brought to towns and villages for worship. This occasion held great solemnity for the Egyptians.
POLITICALLY
The French invasion of Egypt occurred in 1798 with the aim of harnessing Egypt’s commercial and agricultural opportunities, as well as its strategic importance in the Anglo-French rivalry. This rivalry centered around England and France vying for influence in Indian markets. The Makluks, underestimating the military might of the French army that had arrived on their shores, mistakenly believed they could fend off the foreign invasion. This miscalculation mirrored previous instances where commanders had underestimated Napoleon’s forces.
Due to their confidence in their military abilities, Murad Bey responded to the French invasion by leading his best cavalry to fend off the attackers. However, Napoleon’s strategic formation of infantry squares resulted in the defeat of Murad Bey’s force at Shubrakhit on July 13, 1798. Despite facing resilient resistance from the Mamluks, the arduous march to Cairo proved challenging. This was exacerbated by the dryness of Egypt right before the annual flooding of the Nile, leading to Bedouin raids that isolated and threatened French stragglers. Nevertheless, thanks to the protective benefits of the Nile’s annual inundation, Egypt was defended against the French invasion.
The invasion of Egypt was hindered by the absence of flooding, resulting in intense heat that impeded the progress of the invaders. Additionally, the resilient resistance from the formidable Mamluks, a dominant military class in Muslim societies including Egypt, contributed to this delay. The Nile River also acted as a defensive barrier, preventing easy access for potential invaders. They would have been required to traverse the wide river, allowing the Egyptians to remain on their side and launch spear attacks against their assailants.
The Nile River in ancient Egypt was protected by six cataracts, which prevented enemies and foreigners from entering. Crossing the river was a difficult task for potential attackers. However, one access point to ancient Egypt was the Suez Canal, constructed by an Egyptian pharaoh. The canal was included in Egyptian maps and considered one of the four ancient maps of the world.
During the time of the early Pharaohs in ancient Egypt, ships had the ability to reach the Indian Ocean, South-western Asia, and Australia by utilizing the Suez Canal. However, over the years, this canal became filled with sand from the desert. The map showcased here specifically focuses on Ancient Egypt and highlights its prominent feature – the Nile River. Piri Reis, a Turkish admiral, geographer, and cartographer who lived between 1465 and 1555 observed that the location of the river valley is at the Sixth Cataract. Since around 2008, due to construction of the Merowe Dam in the Manasir Desert region, it has caused submersion of what was previously known as fourth cataract.
