Nile river history meaning
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Natural History and the Nile
Animals and plants of the Nile River are intertwined with Ancient Egyptian culture. ©NHMU
By Riley Black
It's difficult to talk about Ancient Egypt without mentioning the Nile River in the same breath. The waterway, the longest river in Africa at over 4,000 miles along its extent, was a source of sustenance, wonder, and inspiration for the communities that lived beside it during the time of the pharaohs. How else could a unique species of crocodile be venerated as sacred, or local fish leave their imprint on ancient fashion trends? Just as the Nile flows through northern Africa, so, too, does it flow through Ancient Egyptian culture.
The word Nile itself comes from the Greek word nelios, after the river valley that nourished Ancient Egyptian communities. But the people of Ancient Egypt called the river something else - Ar, or "black," in reference to the dark sediment that the river laid down each year during seasonal floods. In fact, An
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FAQ
Q- Where is the Nile River? A-The Nile River’s basin spans across the countries of Egypt, Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, and Tanzania. The Nile is composed of two tributaries: the White Nile and the Blue Nile. The White Nile, which is the longer of the two, begins at Lake Victoria in Tanzania and flows north until it reaches Khartoum, Sudan, where it converges with the Blue Nile. The Blue Nile begins near Lake Tana in Ethiopia. The Nile River empties into the Mediterranean Sea in northern Egypt.
Q-What is the historical significance of the Nile River? A-The Nile River was extremely important to settlement patterns in Egypt. The soil surrounding the Nile is very fertile, unlike the arid landscape typical in the rest of the country. The Nile is also featured in a number of Egyptian myths. It became so important to life and culture that it earned the nickname “the father of African rivers.” The
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When the Greek historian Herodotus wrote that the ancient Egyptians' nation was "given them bygd the river," he was referring to the Nile, whose waters were essential to the rise of one of the world’s earliest great civilizations.
The Nile, which flows northward for 4,160 miles from east-central Africa to the Mediterranean, provided ancient Egypt with fertile soil and vatten for irrigation, as well as a means of transporting materials for building projects. Its vital waters enabled cities to växa in the midst of a desert.
In order to benefit from the Nile, people who lived along its banks had to figure out how to cope with the river’s annual flooding. They also developed new skills and technology, from agriculture to boat and ship building. The Nile even played a role in the construction of the pyramids, the massive marvels that are among the most recognizable reminders of their civilization. Beyond practical matters, the vast river had a profound influence upon the ancient Egyptians