The Geography and History of Ancient Egypt
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05_065440 ch01.qxp 5/31/07 9:20 AM Page 9 Chapter 1 Getting Grounded: The Geography and History of Ancient Egypt In This Chapter ᮣ Exploring the landscape of Egypt ᮣ Unifying the two lands ᮣ Examining the hierarchy of Egyptian society he ancient Egyptians have gripped the imagination for centuries. Ever since TEgyptologists deciphered hieroglyphs in the early 19th century, this won- derful civilisation has been opened to historians, archaeologists, and curious laypeople. Information abounds about the ancient Egyptians, including fascinating facts on virtually every aspect of their lives – everything from the role of women, sexuality, and cosmetics, to fishing, hunting, and warfare. The lives of the ancient Egyptians can easily be categorised and pigeonholed. Like any good historian, you need to view the civilisation as a whole, and the best starting point is the origin of these amazing people. So who were the ancient Egyptians? Where did they come from? This chapter answers these questions and begins to paint a picture of the intricately organ- ised culture that developed, flourished, and finally fell along the banks of the Nile river.COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL Splashing in the Source of Life: The Nile The ancient Egyptian civilisation would never have developed if it weren’t for the Nile. The Nile was – and still is – the only source of water in this region of north Africa. Without it, no life could be supported. 05_065440 ch01.qxp 5/31/07 9:20 AM Page 10 10 Part I: Introducing the Ancient Egyptians Ancient Egypt is often called the Nile valley. This collective term refers to the fertile land situated along the banks of the river, covering an area of 34,000 square kilometres. This overall area has not altered much during the last 5,000 years, although the course of the river Nile itself has changed, and with artificial irrigation the fertile land has been increased a little. See the Cheat Sheet for a map of Egypt. In de-Nile: Size and scope The Nile is the longest river in the world, running 6,741 kilometres from eastern Africa to the Mediterranean. Six cataracts, or rapids, caused by rock outcrops on the riverbed, separate the southern section of the Nile between Aswan and Khartoum. The first cataract at Aswan created a natural boundary for Egypt until the New Kingdom (1550 BC), when the ancient Egyptians began travelling further and further south in the hunt for gold and areas to build up their empire. (See Chapters 3 and 4 for more information about this era of ancient Egyptian history.) The Nile flows from south to north – from the interior of Africa to the Mediterranean Sea. Southern Egypt is called Upper Egypt because it is closest to the source of the Nile, and northern Egypt is called Lower Egypt. The northern part of the Nile fans out into a series of canals, all leading to the Mediterranean. This area of northern Egypt is known as the Delta and is pri- marily marshland. The zone is particularly fertile – papyrus (on which many surviving ancient Egyptian records were written) grew in abundance here. The failing flood During the reign of Djoser in the third dynasty I was in mourning on my throne. Those of (refer to the Cheat Sheet for a timeline), Egypt is the palace were in grief . because Hapy said to have experienced seven years of famine [the flood] had failed to come in time. In a because of particularly low annual floods. The period of seven years, grain was scant, ker- king was held responsible for the situation nels were dried up . Every man robbed his because he was an intermediary between the twin . Children cried . The hearts of the people and the gods, and the famine was seen as old were needy . Temples were shut, punishment from the gods for the king not doing Shrines covered with dust, Everyone was in his job. On the Island of Sehel in the south of distress . I consulted one of the staff, the Egypt, Ptolemy V (204–181 BC) commissioned a Chief lector-priest of Imhotep . He stela recording this famine and Djoser’s actions: departed, he returned to me quickly. 05_065440 ch01.qxp 5/31/07 9:20 AM Page 11 Chapter 1: Getting Grounded: The Geography and History of Ancient Egypt 11 Imhotep, the builder of the step pyramid (see All the peasants working their fields with Chapter 14), traced the source of the Nile to the their labourers and bringing water to their island of Elephantine and the caves of Khnum. new and high-lying lands, their harvest shall He assured Djoser that renewed worship of be stored in your granary in excess of the Khnum would start the floods again. Khnum part that used to be your due. All fishermen then appeared to Djoser in a dream: and trappers and hunters on the water and lion catchers in the desert, I impose on them When I was asleep . I found the god a duty of one tenth of their catch. Every calf standing. I caused him pleasure by wor- born by the cows on your land shall be given shipping and adoring him. He made himself to the stables as a burnt offering and a known to me and said: ‘I am Khnum, your remaining daily offering. Moreover one tenth creator, my arms are around you, to steady of the gold and ivory and the wood and min- your body, to safeguard your limbs . For I erals and every tree stem and all things am the master who makes, I am he who which the Nubians . bring to Egypt shall be makes himself exalted in Nun [primeval handed over together with every man who waters], who first came forth, Hapy who comes with them. No vizier shall give orders hurries at will; fashioner of everybody, in these places and levy a tax on them, dimin- guide of each man to their hour. The two ishing what is being delivered to your temple. caves are in a trench [?] below me. It is up to me to let loose the well. I know the Nile, Once these gifts had been given to the temple urge him to the field, I urge him, life appears of Khnum, the floods would once again reach in every nose . I will make the Nile swell for the appropriate level, restore Egypt to the agri- you, without there being a year of lack and cultural haven it once was, and re-inspire the exhaustion in the whole land, so the plants people’s faith in king Djoser. will flourish, bending under their fruit . The However, because this stela was written more land of Egypt is beginning to stir again, the than 2,000 years after the date of the event, his- shores are shining wonderfully, and wealth torians have difficulty assessing its accuracy as and well-being [?] dwell with them, as it had a historical document. Some scholars believe been before. the stela is a copy of an Old Kingdom example Djoser awoke and was pleased at the message. erected by Djoser; others believe it was created He passed a decree of an increase of taxes to in the Ptolemaic period as a means of justifying be paid to the temple of Khnum: new goodies for the temple of Khnum. The truth may never be known. The inundation: Surviving and thriving Every year for the months between July and October the Nile flooded, cover- ing the land on both banks with as much as 2 feet of water. When the water receded, very fertile black silt covered the land. Because of this, the Egyptians called their country Kemet, which means ‘the black land’. Through careful crop management and intricate irrigation canals, the Nile valley became a major agricultural area. 05_065440 ch01.qxp 5/31/07 9:20 AM Page 12 12 Part I: Introducing the Ancient Egyptians Although the inundation of the Nile was essential for the agricultural success of the ancient Egyptian civilisation, a risk always existed of the Nile flooding too much or not enough. Either situation resulted in crop failure, famine, and death. Since 1830 AD, a series of dams and sluices at the southern end of the Nile have checked the floods. In 1960 AD, the Egyptians built the High Dam at Aswan, which has stopped the Nile flooding altogether. Although these new technologies create a more stable environment for the modern Egyptians to farm, the steady nature of the present-day Nile makes imagining the up-and- down aspects of ancient Egyptian life more difficult. Meeting the Ancient Egyptians The ancient people who lived in the Nile valley were a melting pot of many ethnic groups, with many different origins. Prior to 5000 BC, the Nile valley did not have any settled people, because the surrounding area was rich in vegetation and was inhabited by a number of nomadic hunter-gatherer tribes, which followed large animals such as lions, giraffes, and ostriches as a source of food. However, due to climatic change in approximately 5000 BC, the area sur- rounding the Nile valley began to dry out and was no longer able to sustain the large animals. This climate shift meant that the nomadic tribes all con- verged on the Nile valley because the river was slowly becoming the only source of water in the region. As a result, the first Egyptian population was a collection of different nomadic tribes, which slowly integrated with each other and created a new society: ߜ In the south of Egypt, the origins of the people were closer to Nubia, resulting in a darker people.