The Role of the River Nile in Egyptian Civilization - Research Paper Example

River Nile Determines Every Aspect of Egyptian Civilization Introduction The early communities developed and have grown near the rivers, tributaries or other bodies of water. The inhabitants of a community get their food from rivers or lakes, drinking water and other water needs. Transportation of food, agricultural produce and other products are also facilitated through bodies of water. One civilization that had taken optimum use of a body of water is ancient Egypt. The Nile River that runs from East Central Africa through the north in Egypt and into the Mediterranean Sea is 6695 kilometers (River Nile Facts par. 2). It is said to be the longest river, with the Amazon River coming next. Passing from Uganda to Ethiopia, it crosses nine countries – Zaire, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan, Egypt and the two countries mentioned above. But due to the popularity of ancient Egypt and its mention in biblical accounts, Nile River has been generally associated with Egypt. Many activities and the social life of ancient Egyptians were influenced by the Nile River. Rain rarely occurs in Egypt (Egypt par. 5), thus, the people would surely resort to Nile as the main source of water for their needs. Moreover, the yearly floods during spring had made the soil extremely fertile when the river overflows to the banks (River Nile Facts par. 3). Irrigation of agricultural lands also comes from the river. The popular writing material in ancient Egypt, the papyrus reeds also come from the Nile. The reeds were also used as building materials. The Nile Valley is around four percent of the total area of Egypt but 96 percent of the population lives there in the 20th century (Egypt par. 9). Thus, the social and economic activities occur mostly in this area. The remaining portion of the country is desert land. Ancient Egyptian civilization started around 3100 BCE after the unification of Upper Egypt with Lower Egypt when King Menes conquered Lower Egypt (Lesko, Beginnings par. 2). The king established his capital in Memphis (which is near modern Cairo). He started the ruling dynasty, which was followed, by more than 30 dynasties later. Around one to four million people lived on the Nile Valley while the rest thrived along the delta and oases located westward from the river. Agriculture and Transportation Agricultural activities and production rely upon the flooding of the Nile. The spring rains on the Ethiopian territory flooded the Nile on the Egyptian banks and the Nile Valley from June to October (Dunn par. 2). During this period, the valley becomes a wide lake; but when the waters retreat back towards the river, a fertile soil and silt are left behind. During the Middle Kingdom (1975-1640 BC), the inundation was being regulated as a basin irrigation (Baines par. 4). The kings of that time reclaimed the land by coursing the flow of water through a channel built along the river to irrigate other land areas. This also maintained the river water at a lower level. Personal biographies of local leaders of the fragmented First Intermediate Period (2125-1975 BCE) recorded that they had constructed canals that supplied water to the people (Baines, Inundation par. 1). Flood basins were managed by allowing water to flow into channels and canals so that other areas with low-level water would be suitable for planting (Nile and It’s Importance par. 4). The annual inundation enabled Egypt to produce plenty of agricultural products that they stored for the lean months (Baines, Inundation par. 2). Only one main crop is grown in a year. The plants would need little watering after planting on August and September (par. 3). They were harvested from March to May of the following year. The management of the flood (through the drainage system) also extended the breadth of fertile land for agricultural purposes (Baines, Inundation par. 3). However, vegetables raised in smaller patches of land are watered the whole year with the water being transported manually in pots. This system had improved at around 1500 BCE when water-lifting tools were invented. Egypt had cereal, wheat and barley for its principal crops, as well as meat, livestock, vegetables and fruits (Baines, The Nile par. 1). The fish though that comes from the Nile is the people’s primary source of animal protein. The people also depended on the Nile as their primary transportation route (Lesko, The Land par. 2). The boats they used were made of papyrus stems (Baines, The Nile par. 1). Pictures found on the temples that feature the primary festivals celebrated show the Nile River with the successful trading and transportation expeditions being sent by the king (par. 2). Traveling by land to other areas of Egypt would be quite tedious at that time. Moreover, the geographical feature of the kingdom, being long and thin (Baines, The Nile par. 3), would consume too much travel time. Traveling along the river using a boat eased management of the nation and thus, a unifying tool for the king. The river was the primary course of transportation, with the donkeys, camels and horses providing augmenting transport through the river (Nile and It’s Importance par. 4). In fact, camels and horses only came later when introduced by the Persians after they occupied Egypt. During inundation, travel would be faster between territories. For instance, the 500-mile trip Thebes to Memphis would only two weeks during inundation but two months during the other periods of the year. Grain and other goods were constantly transported by barges and boats to the different trading centers at any time of the year. Moreover, canals were also dug into dried up river tributaries to allow water to pass through. More harbors were also constructed to accommodate more vessels that became bigger and bigger in size. Amenhotep III (1390 - 1353 BC), for instance, endeavored to construct the harbor in Medinet Hatu (Thebes) despite the raging river. Politics and Economic Activities The river also bolstered political activities. The fertile land is exploited and managed by the political rulers of Egypt (Baines, Shaping Political par. 1). The king allocated the agricultural resources while the obligations of the leaders are also defined by agriculture, production and fertility of the land. Ownership and control of the resources belong to the power of the kings. All land areas belong to the king. The ruler also imposes taxes upon agricultural products, mandates compulsory labor, and enforces measures and policies to make sure that the land is cultivated. On the other hand, the king had to make provisions for the storage of food for the lean periods. At around 3000 BCE, the rulers mandated compulsory labor for the building of huge monuments and royal tombs (Baines, Shaping Political par. 2). This was followed by the construction of pyramids and fortifications during the Middle Kingdom, the temples and tombs during the New Kingdom (1550-1070 BCE), and other structures during the Graeco-Roman era. Through the effective political management of agricultural production, a large segment of the population is freed from agricultural activities and engaged in other occupations and specializations (Baines, Shaping Political par. 3). Also, some people are temporarily freed from the agricultural production when the land is not fertile and take other line of work, such as construction. The diversification in labor and production though, as well as specialization in work, do not benefit the people but serve only the interest of the rulers and the elite segment of society. Beliefs and Religion The Nile in fact had greatly influenced the development of Egyptian thought and politics (Baines par. 2). When the floods on the Nile Valley receded, mounds of fertile soil are left behind. The fertile soil signals the start of planting and agricultural activities, and the beginning of life. The early belief on creation is associated with the fertile mounds left by the receding floods. The world was said to be a mound that emerged from the “waters of a universal ocean” (Dunn par. 3). The first life form is depicted as a lily that grows from the mound. The lily is also associated with Nefertum, the god that is the forerunner of the sun “which rose from the lily's petals to bring life to the newly created world” (Dunn par. 3). The mound was also honored as a god Tatjenen which means “the emerging land” (par. 3). It may not be mere conjecture that the first temples on the north include earth mounds in the architecture to depict the rise of life (Dunn par. 4). It is postulated that the first of such mounds may be a small hill or sand, but later transformed into small pyramids carved from one block of stone called bnbn (or benben). Bn means to “swell forth” (par. 4). The benben also came to symbolize the primeval mound and the sun that rose from the mound. The word for rising sun, “wbn”, is derived from the word benben (par. 4). The benben is more than just a symbol; it is rather a source of power and the force that made new life possible emerging from dormancy. The benben is also included in the funerary monuments of ancient Egypt (par. 6). The people believed that death does not end life but a point of beginning for a new form of existence, especially for the king. A living being is said to be composed of the physical body, the “ba” (similar to modern concept of soul), and the “ka” (the energy of life) (par. 6). At death, the ba and ka unites in the spiritual realm to form a new form of life called “akh” (par. 6). The river per se is not the “bringer of water and fertility” but the inundation which was termed “Hapy” (Baines, Nile Gods par. 1). Hapy was later ascribed the status of a god of Egypt (but not a major god). It was also reported that during the ancient times, the river was not named Nile but simply river. The kings and local leaders would associate themselves with Hapy when granting provisions to their subjects (Baines, Nile Gods par. 2). But Hapy is set apart with the rest of the gods. He is shown as a fat figure that brings water and abundance to the other gods. Although no temple was built for him, he was worshipped at Gebel el-Silsila (intersection between the hills and river, north of Aswan) when inundation begins. During such rituals, hymns and sacrifices were offered to Hapy. It was the major god Osiris which was associated with the river (Baines, Nile Gods par. 3). In the Egyptian myth, Osiris, as the king of Egypt was killed by his brother Seth and cut into pieces. Isis (his widow and sister) reassembled the body and revived Osiris. They later conceived a son named Horus. Osiris never returned to the physical world and ruled the underworld as king. The death and revival of Osiris is associated with the fertility of the land. One festival celebrated during inundation had mud figures of Osiris planted with barley to symbolize germination and revival of the Osiris and the land. World View The Egyptians’ world perspective is oriented toward the south where the Nile River originates (Baines, Egyptian World par. 1). The west then is oriented to the right which depicts the good path for passage into the afterlife. The Egyptian calendar is also adjusted with the cycle of the river. Thus, the New Year begins in July when the river begins to rise. It also coincided with the reappearance of Sirius (Sothis for ancient Egypt) after becoming invisible for 70 days. Sothis star was also the reckoning point for the counting of the 365 days in the calendar. Egypt also created three seasons with four months each: a) Inundation and b) Emergence (November to March) when the land appears and being cultivated, and c) Heat or Harvest when agricultural produce were gathered and the water is at its lowest point. Conclusion The Nile River influenced all aspects of life of the people in ancient Egypt as well as the present day Egypt. It also shaped the beliefs and religion of the people. After death, the spirit of the deceased is depicted to be crossing the river in going to the afterlife. Political and economic activities likewise are connected with the river. Ruling the people is facilitated by the Nile. Moreover, the king was able to send political and trade missions to other nations en route the river. The Nile River allowed Egypt to flourish and rise as a great nation in the ancient world. Anthropological studies also revealed that communities and civilizations rise when they are near bodies of water. It would be difficult for a community to flourish without a steady source of water. And in the case of Nile, it not only provided abundant water, it also brought with it fertile silt during the annual flooding. The Nile River and Egypt are tightly intertwined. If Egypt is located somewhere else far from the Nile, ancient Egypt might not have become such a great civilization. Works Cited Baines, John. The Story of the Nile. BBC. 2011 February 17. 28 November 2011. . Dunn, Jimmy. Why the Ancient Egyptians Built Pyramids: A matter of Religion. 2011. 28 November 2011. . Egypt. 2011. 29 November 2011. . Lesko, Leonard H. “Egypt, Ancient,” World Book Online Americas Edition. 28 November 2011. . The Nile and It’s Importance to the Ancient Egyptians. n.d. 28 November 2011. . The River Nile Facts. 2008. 28 November 2011. . Read More