preview

The Nile River In Ancient Egypt

Decent Essays

The Nile River is often referred to as the longest river in the world. It covers a distance of over 4,000 miles. It begins at the equator and flows northward through northeastern Africa and passes through Egypt until it empties into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile River was very important to ancient Egypt because without the Nile, Egypt would be nothing but desert due to the lack of rainfall that they receive. The Nile provided Egypt with fertile land since ancient time which allowed one of the greatest civilizations to develop. The Nile also aided in trade, agriculture and had an impact on transportation, Government and society. The Nile River is formed from the White Nile, which originates at Lake Victoria and the Blue Nile, which originates at Lake Tana in Ethiopia. These rivers meet in Sudan and then go northwards towards the sea. The White Nile is a lot bigger than the Blue Nile but the Blue Nile contributes more flow that passes through Egypt to the Mediterranean. Lake Victoria, Africa’s biggest lake, is thought of as the source of the Nile River. On the northern edge of the lake, water …show more content…

Most Egyptians lived near the Nile because it provided water, food, transportation and excellent soil for growing food. Ancient Egypt could not have existed without the Nile River. Since rainfall is almost non-existent in Egypt, the floods provided the only source of moisture to help with the crops. Every year, heavy summer rain in the Ethiopian highlands sent water that overflowed the banks of the Nile. When the floods went down it left thick, rich mud which made excellent soil to plant seeds in after the flood subsided. The Egyptians could plant crops in the moist floodplain, because it remained wet long enough for the crops to grow for harvest about three months later. The River flooded every year between June and September, in a season the Egyptians called akhet (the

Get Access