The Nile River and Its’ Affect On Ancient Egypt

by Barnes Hauptfuhrer

    The presence of the Nile River and the Nile River Valley in Ancient Egypt greatly influenced the culture of its people. The ancient Egyptians began with small settlements around the Nile River and were able to make permanent settlements only because of the presence of the Nile. As the Egyptian civilization grew, it became even more dependent on the Nile and its’ role in their economy. Finally, because of the Ancient Egyptian dependence on the Nile River, it became a centerpiece of their religious practices and their belief in the afterlife. These are a few of the major ways that the Nile River played a significant role in Ancient Egyptian culture.

    In about 3000 BC settlements began to appear in small groups around the Nile River and a small fertile area around the Nile that we now call the Nile River Valley. These settlements were found almost nowhere else in Northern Africa at this period in time because the surrounding dry deserts lacked the necessities for permanent settlements such as water and fertile soil. The Nile provided both of these things for the Ancient Egyptians, and without it, permanent settlements would have been almost impossible.

    The water of the Nile River provided a few things that were important to the growth of civilization in Ancient Egypt. The Ancient Egyptians needed water, as all humans do, to support life. Water from the Nile also attracted thirsty animals such as the water buffalo and camels (Conde, Egyptian Animals). Water also was necessary for the growth of agriculture, the major economic activity of Ancient Egyptians. As you can see, the water of the Nile provided many uses for the Ancient Egyptians.

    Along with water and fertile soil, the Nile River also provided transportation for the Egyptians and enabled them to interact with other civilizations along the Nile such as the kingdom of Kush. This transportation would become important to the Ancient Egyptians in the New Kingdom when the civilization would spread along the Nile (More Info. On New Kingdom at http://www.wisc.edu/arth/ah201/06.newkingdomegypt.1.html ). For these reasons, the transportation provided by the Nile was another key asset for the formation of Egyptian civilization along the Nile River.

    The Nile River also played a large role in Ancient Egyptian economy.  As you know, in order to grow crops, water and fertile soil is needed. The Nile River satisfied both of these needs for Egyptian farmers. The flood of the Nile River, which occurs about every June or July when summer rains fall on the African coast and replenish the land around the Nile with vital nutrients (Didier, pg. 73-74). These floods and the nutrients they discharge provide fertile land around the Nile, where the land without the floods would be barren desert. The floods allowed Egyptian farmers to go crops such as dates figs pomegranates and other vegetables (Didier, pg. 75). This is why without the Nile, farming and agriculture would have been next to impossible for Ancient Egyptian farmers.

    Excluding agriculture, the Nile provided other everyday uses for the Egyptian economy such as bricks for building homes and temples, and fish which, were a major source of food for the Egyptians. Mud made into bricks and fish which were important to the people of Ancient Egypt, and are two smaller ways in which the Nile River helped Egyptian economy in things other than just agriculture. (Zenman and Kelly, pg. 14)

    The Nile River also affected the religion of Ancient Egypt.   Ancient Egyptian religion is based primarily on nature, and the existence of the sun and the land in nature (British Museum, Egyptian Religion). Many historians believe that this was because of the economic dependence of Egyptians on the Nile. The Egyptians prayed for the floodwaters of the Nile, and even created a separate god for the Nile named Osiris (Didier, pg.34). We can truly see the importance of the Nile to the Ancient Egyptians through their religion. The Nile was so important to them that they felt the need to base their religious beliefs somewhat on the Nile.

Another major part, and probably the most studied part; of Ancient Egyptian religion was their belief in the presence of an afterlife. The Nile played a role in this belief by symbolizing life and afterlife. All tombs and burial places of the Ancient Egyptians, including pyramids, are located on the West Bank of the Nile River (Egyptian State Information Service, Ancient Religion). Many historians believe this is because the Egyptians knew that the sun rose in the East, supposedly symbolizing birth, and set in the West, symbolizing death. Because of this, all Ancient Egyptians are buried on the West Bank of the Nile, and the West Bank of the Nile became a symbol of the connection of life on earth and the afterlife. This is how the Nile played a significant role not only in the basic beliefs of Ancient Egyptian religion, but also in their belief in the afterlife.

    It’s clear to me that the Nile River and the Nile River Valley had a profound influence on Ancient Egyptian culture. The Nile was one of the most important reasons that Egyptian civilization developed where it did, and it played a key role in the foundation of Egypt’s existence. The Nile River and the Nile River Valley also had a large affect on the economy of these people, and fueled their ground breaking agricultural and farming techniques. Lastly, we see the great influence that the Nile had on Ancient Egyptian culture by studying how the Nile was often a large part of the Egyptian religious practices. In these three ways, foundation of Egypt, economy, and religion, the Nile River obviously had a very large influence on the culture of Ancient Egypt.

Barnes Hauptfuhrer

November 2000

Bibliography

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<http://www.civilization.ca/membrs/civiliz/egypt/egctimee.html>

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<http://galileo.vigoco.k12.in.us/~consel/egypttitle.html>

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<http://members.aol.com/TeacherNet/AncientEgypt.html>

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