The Nile River

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Fall of the Nile in Egypt

In 1970’s, the flooding of the Nile River into the valley occurred every year after the snow melted in the East African mountain range. When the flood water receded, it left a layer of silt. Rich in nutrients, this layer of topsoil allowed the farmers to grow their crops, and gave rise to ancient Egyptian civilization. Because of its location, the people who lived on the banks of the Nile River were largely isolated. This gave rise to a common language, religion and culture. With the construction of the Aswan High Dam, Egyptians have access to water throughout the year. Without the Nile River, Egypt would not have been able to develop or advance the way it has, and that is why it is described as the 'gift of the Nile'. Every year the great flood gifts Northeast Africa the water and silt that brings life to the Sahara desert. Ancient Egypt would not have existed to build their ancient pyramids, temples and tombs were it not for the Nile River floods. (Thenilerivertas.com 1800-1807) The Nile River was an important factor in the success of ancient Egypt. Without the Nile River, it could never have existed as we know it or have produced the wonders of its civilization that it is known for today. The land of Egypt is surrounded by tons of sand, which isn’t helpful for agriculture, but the ancient Egyptians managed to flourish by taking the waters of the Nile and building an unrivaled empire (Baines, 2000). By harnessing the power of the Nile River, and learning the consistency of the rise and fall of its water levels, they built their empire from what could have been barren wasteland; and with the use of the water, and an irrigation system, along with the sands, and thousands of slaves, the ancient Egyptians built the huge monuments of sand that still stand as proof of their ingenuity (Baines, 2000).

The Nile for papyrus to record Egypt writing

Due to the success of cultivating the Nile, Egypt became densely populated and developed a form of writing, hieroglyphics and used papyrus made from the reeds growing on the side of the Nile to make paper to write their history on. The river provided food in the form of fish, and provided the water for agriculture. The Nile was also an important means of transportation for the ancient Egyptians and enabled trade and communication (Hoyt, 2008). Another contribution of the Nile was the ancient Egyptian calendar. They developed a 365-day calendar, which delineated three seasons of four months each, based on the consistency of the rise and the fall of the river Nile (Baines, 2000). Eventually, the civilization of ancient Egypt collapsed, but because of the Nile, much is known about life in this ancient empire. Through Egypt society has disappeared, the waters of the Nile River continue to flow and bring prosperity to those who harness its power.