Download Ancient Egyptians were not the only animals to make use - Egypt7-6

The pamphlet must have a title and one illustration on the cover, contain four convincing arguments for why
people should move to or visit Ancient Egypt (depending upon your selection), the back of the pamphlet should
contain some fun facts about Ancient Egypt and your citations. In addition to your paper product (pamphlet) you
must also create and submit a three-dimensional artifact that relates to a topic in your pamphlet. (This object
will not be returned).
The ancient Egyptians thought of Egypt as being divided
into two types of land, the 'black land' and the 'red land'.
The 'black land' was the fertile land on the banks of the
Nile. The ancient Egyptians used this land for growing
their crops. This was the only land in ancient Egypt that
could be farmed because a layer of rich, black silt was
deposited there every year after the Nile flooded.
The 'red land' was the barren desert that protected
Egypt on two sides. These deserts separated ancient
Egypt from neighbouring countries and invading armies.
They also provided the ancient Egyptians with a source
for precious metals and semi-precious stones.
Story
Explore
Investigate the different
parts of the landscape in
ancient Egypt
Look through some maps
of Egypt
Challenge
Search ancient Egypt for precious materials in 'The
jeweller of Memphis'
The country of Egypt is located in the north eastern region of Africa. It is bordered on the north
by the Mediterranean Sea. In the south there is a mountain range which receives snow. The
climate of Egypt is dry and arid because the Sahara Desert crosses it. One of the major
geographical features of this area is the Nile River, which runs northward toward the
Mediterranean Sea.
One of the most important features of the Nile is that it makes a 320 km (200 miles) bend in the
Sahara Desert. This feature has long puzzled geographers because most rivers would go straight
to the sea, instead it travels through one of the driest places on Earth bringing life-giving water.
Recently, scientists have found evidence that supports the bend was caused by tectonic activity
somewhere between 10,000 and a million years ago.
The Nile is fed by two rivers, the Blue Nile and the White Nile, which is the reason for it not
drying during the dry seasons. At one time there were about six such tributaries feeding it,
however these eventually dried out due to slow water with silt accumulation.
Every year the Nile flooded because the snow in the mountains melted and brought nutrients in
the form of silt. This silt was left once the river floods receded, leaving moist fertile soil for
plants to grow. The ancient Egyptians used the floods for horticultural and domestic use.
The Egyptians grew many crops including: wheat, barley, legumes, lettuce, onions, emmer,
leeks, dill, grapes, melons and gourds. They also grew trees like christ’s thorn, date palm and
eucalyptus. Some of the other plants which they used were flowers, such as lily and lotus,
tamarisk, papyrus, acacia, poinciana and jacaranda. They used oils from the castor plant and
saffron. Contrary to popular belief, olives were not grown in Egypt.
Ancient Egyptians were not the only animals to make use of the Nile. There were many types of
fish and mollusks, however the upper class would not eat fish from the Nile because the fish
were considered unclean. Ancient Egyptians worshiped the crocodile which lived in the Nile.
There were also many birds and animals such as the camel, snakes, scorpions, rabbits and other
small rodents, hippopotamus, cattle, antelopes and gazelles, hyenas and, of course, cats and dogs.
Pigs were another animal considered unclean, in fact, if a person accidentally touched a pig they
would immediately bathe in the river with their clothes on. The only people who could touch a
pig were the pig farmers, who were considered the lowest rank.
Sources
Wendorf, Fred. The Prehistory of the Nile Valley. Academic Press; New York, 1976 (pg. 349388).
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/releases/96/sirnile.html
http://www.theodora.com/wfb/egypt_geography.html
The geography of Egypt is deeply important in understanding why the Egyptians centered their
lives around the Nile. Both before and during the use of canal irrigation in Egypt, the Nile Valley
could be separated into two parts, the River Basin or the flat alluvial (or black land soil), and the
Red Land or red desert land. The River basin of the Nile was in sharp contrast to the rest of the
land of Egypt and was rich with wild life and water fowl, depending on the waxing and waning
cycles of the Nile. In contrast, the red desert was a flat dry area which was devoid of most life
and water, regardless of any seasonal cycle.
The Nile in it's natural state goes through periods of inundation and relinquishment. The
inundation of the Nile-a slightly unpredictable event- was the time of greatest fertility for Egypt.
As the banks rose, the water would fill the man-made canals and canal basins and would water
the crops for the coming year. However, if the inundation was even twenty inches above or
below normal, it could have massive consequences upon the Egyptian agricultural economy.
Even with this variability, the Egyptians were able to easily grow tree crops and vegetable
gardens in the lower part of the Nile Valley, while at higher elevations, usually near levees, the
Nile Valley was sparsely planted.
Agricultural crops were not the mainstay of the ancient Egyptian diet. Rather, the Nile supplied a
constant influx of fish which were cultivated year around. In addition to fish, water fowl and
cattle were also kept by the Egyptians. Flocks of geese were raised from the earliest times and
supplied eggs, meat and fat. However, the domestic fowl didn't make its appearance until
Ramesside times, and then in only very isolated places. The Egyptian farmers, in their early
experimental phase, also tried to domesticate other animals such as hyenas, gazelles and cranes
but gave up after the Old Kingdom. Cattle were also part of the staple diet of the Egyptians,
suggesting that grazing land was available for the Egyptians during the times when the Nile
receded. However, during the inundation, cattle were brought to the higher levels of the flood
plain area and were often fed the grains harvested from the previous year.
The Egyptian diet was by no means limited to tree crops and vegetables, nor was it limited to an
animal or fish diet. The Egyptians cultivated barley, emmer wheat, beans, chickpeas, flax, and
other types of vegetables. In addition, the cultivation of grains was not entirely for consumption.
One of the most prized products of the Nile and of Egyptian agriculture was oil. Oil was
customarily used as a payment to workmen employed by the state, and depending on the type,
was highly prized. The most common oil (kiki) was obtained from the castor oil plant. Sesame
oil from the New Kingdom was also cultivated and was highly prized during the later Hellenistic
Period.
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/
The ancient Egyptians enjoyed many natural barriers. There were deserts to the east
and west of the Nile River, and mountains to the south. This isolated the ancient
Egyptians and allowed them to develop a truly distinctive culture.
The Nile is the world's longest river. It is over 4000 miles long! It is shaped like the
lotus flower so often seen in ancient Egyptian art. Each spring, water would run off
the mountains and the Nile would flood. As the flood waters receded, black rich fertile
soil was left behind. The ancient Egyptian called this rich soil The Gift of the Nile.
Fertile soil for crops was not the Nile's only gift. The Nile gave the ancient Egyptians
many gifts. Thanks to the Nile, these ancient people had fresh water for drinking and
bathing. The Nile supported transportation and trade. It provided materials for
building, for making cloth for clothes, and even for making paper - made from the
wild papyrus weed, that grew along the shores of the Nile.
Because of the annual flooding of the Nile, the ancient Egyptians enjoyed a high
standard of living compared to other ancient civilizations. Without the Nile, Egypt
would be a desert.
GEOGRAPHY AND MAPS
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/Homework/Egypt.html
http://oncampus.richmond.edu/academics/education/projects/
http://www.carnegiemnh.org/exhibits/egypt/orientation.htm
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/egypt/dailylife/geography.html
http://www.civilization.ca/civil/egypt/egcgeo1e.html (Scroll down for the
map)http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/geography/explore/fea.html
http://homepages.tcp.co.uk/~nicholson/egypt/nilemap.html
http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2002/egypt/egyptmap.shtm
http://emuseum.mnsu.edu/prehistory/egypt/maps/mainmap.html
http://www.aldokkan.com/geography/geography.htm





Egypt is located in far north-east Africa. It is about 1085 km north to south, and 1255 east
to westand its total area is approximately 997 738 square kms.
The Nile, the longest river in the world, runs through Egypt and is 6741 km long.
The general landscape of Egypt is bare like a desert. Less than 10% of Egypt's area is
settled or used in some way and more than 90% makes up the Libyan Desert, some of the
Sahara Desert and the Arabian desert.
In the Libyan Desert there is a great amount of sand and also many 'depressions' where
the land is well below sea level.
The Quttarah Depression has an area of 18 100 square kms and is 133 metres below sea
level!
Egypt is one of the oldest civilizations, dating back over 6000 years.
Population: 55 million people
Geographic size: 387,000 square miles
Capital: Cairo
Major cities and population: Cairo, Alexandria, El Giza, Suez, Asyut, Luxor, Aswan, and El Minya
T
gypt borders on the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. The Nile, the world's longest river, flows through Egypt on its w
Mediterranean Sea. Most major cities, including about 99% of the population, lie along the Nile River.
Most of western Egypt is desert. Winds blowing the sand can create sand dunes hundreds of feet high.
Points of Interest
T
Egypt still has many reminders of its ancient civilization. Some of the pyramids are over 4,500 years old.
In Ancient Egypt the King, or Pharaoh, built temples to the gods. The King would prepare for his death by build
tomb or temple to be worshipped as a god. These are the great pyramids.
Major Industries
T
Oil and natural gas are two of Egypt's major industries. Chemical and steel production are also important industr
banks of the Nile River provide rich soil for farming dates, grapes and cotton. Other industries include textiles an
processing.
Historical Highlights
T
Ancient Egypt was one of the earliest cultures.
Great temples were built to honor the gods. While many were in the shape of pyramids, others took on the form
Pharaoh. The Sphinx at Giza has the body of a lion and the head of a Pharaoh. The word Sphinx is Egyptian mea
"living image."
During the first Egyptian dynasty the idea of writing developed in a pictorial script known as hieroglyphics.
Egyptians told stories about the creation of their world, and about their society using hieroglyphs.
Top of Page
Population and Culture
Most people in Egypt live in cities along the Nile River. Egypt still maintains much of its traditional culture.
Top of Page
Climate
Egypt is very hot and dry. Temperatures regularly exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and rain is very scarce.
partner-pub-6871 FORID:10
ISO-8859-1
Copyright © 1998-2010 Kidport
S