geography of ancient egypt. nile river 4,000 miles long two nile rivers: white and blue niles in...
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Nile River
• 4,000 miles long
• Two Nile Rivers: White and Blue Niles in Ethiopia and Central Africa
• Flow affected by “Cataracts”-speed up the flow by narrowing
Nile River
• Floods annually between June and October-average flood depth of 45 feet
• Flood leaves rich deposits of soil on the banks
• Nickname: “Gift of the Nile
Nile River
• Fertile strip on average only 12 miles
• Only major river which flows northward
• Divides Egypt into:
– Southern part = “Upper Egypt”
– Northern part = “Lower Egypt”
Nile River
• Egyptians learned to build sophisticated irrigation systems to maximize the use of the Nile
• Mouth of the Nile forms a wide delta as it enters the Mediterranean Sea
Geography of Ancient Egypt
NORTH
Delta - the fan-shaped area at the mouth or lower end of a river formed by eroded material that has been carried downstream and dropped in quantities larger than can be carried off by tides or currents
Open access to Lower Egypt
Topography
• Land has ample stone for building large monuments
• No wood or other building products
• Lower Egypt was a savannah teeming with wild animals
Climate of Egypt
• Frost-free climate allowing for year round farming
• Receives only ½ inch of rain per year on the average
• Temperatures are hot, up to 140 degrees in the summer
Climate of Egypt
• Non-existent humidity = preservation of artifacts
• Winds blow to the south from the Mediterranean assisting in travel up the river