NILE RIVER CIVILIZATION

The Nile River Valley Civilization started at the northern most peak of the Nile River at the time of the Neolithic Revolution.  This early civilization formed down the lush fields of the Nile River. Protected by the water and desert, the civilization was able to grow into Egypt and surrounding colonies. Impact of Geography Geography for the Nile River Valley Civilization was very important.  The Nile would flood each year starting in July and lasting until November.  This flood would provide new, rich soil for the Egyptians and would wash away waste.  The seas around the civilization served a barrier against war and disease. Economy The inhabitants of the Nile River Valley Civilization depended heavily on farming.  Close proximity to the Nile allowed easy access to water needed for crops.  Seasonal flooding fertilized the land for the next year's crops.  Agriculture was essential for survival, growth, and economic success. Social Structure King Had a special status Female companion also had a special status Ruler of the land  Ruling Class Related or of high importance of the King  Craftsman Craftsman make weapons and tools for the people Work on the decorations for tombs  Farmers Most people of the Nile tribes were farmers that can only be vaguely distinguished by their tombs.  Marginalized Groups Very little known about the people. Did not live in organized structures Acted as military  Slaves Little evidence of slavery Servants were often used and sold. The Pyramids were built by servants who were paid in beer. Buildings/Structures Pyramids Large boats for transport Rigid structures that held pharaoh at the top, followed by priests, artisans, farmers, and finally slaves.

                                    The River Nile (5)
                               The dams on the Nile

       Large rivers are difficult to control. The Nile River, so important to Egypt's populace, is no exception. But since the late 1960s, the Nile River has been under the control of humans because of the construction of the Aswan High Dam. Part of the rationale for this dam was to manage the natural cycles of flood and drought to produce dependable water supplies for farming and other uses. The consequences of cyclic climate variations on a decadal scale were buffered by the large storage capacity of the Nile Valley behind the High Dam, which is nearly six trillion cubic feet (157 km3) of water! This is about four times the amount of water stored behind Hoover Dam (USA, Lake Mead) and Three Gorges Dam (China) (Chao et al., 2008).In addition, the Aswan High Dam initially produced a significant amount of electrical power (about 50%, now less than 15% of Egypt's needs) that allowed electrification of "rural" Egypt.
      Figure 3 shows the narrow Nile River Valley slicing northward through the Egyptian desert. The narrow green band of the Nile River Valley represents farmland irrigated by waters of the Nile River. Prior to the completion of Aswan High Dam, the Nile River would flood its valley annually during the rainy season in its higher altitude headwaters (Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya, Uganda), bringing nutrient-rich silt to fields and renewing fertility. In addition, a substantial volume of sediment was carried down the Nile River Channel to its large delta, building out the delta into the Mediterranean Sea, providing additional fertile land for farming. This no longer happens because the Aswan High Dam effectively (an unintended consequence) traps sediment carried from the highlands behind it.Now, the delta region, which subsides naturally as the result of compaction of sediment (newly deposited sediments have water contents of 70% or more that are reduced by compaction by overburden), is diminishing in size because rates of coastal erosion exceed supply of sediment. Currently, almost 1/3 of the Nile Delta’s land area sits within a meter of sea level. Subsidence rates vary across the delta, but in some areas, the land surface is sinking as fast as 1 cm/yr. Control of the Nile’s flow has also lead to water quality problems.Because once-regular floods no longer flush salts, sewage, fertilizers, and waste from the delta, surface waters are polluted and those living near the Mediterranean coast increasingly rely on groundwater to meet demand for drinking water and domestic use. Extraction of groundwater, coupled with land subsidence, has led to saltwater intrusion in the aquifer as far as 30 km inland.
         There have been other unintended consequences of the Aswan High Dam including the spread of disease (Schistosomiasis), a decrease in water quality and increase in algal blooms resulting from fertilization of farm fields and irrigation runoff, flooding of historical sites, and displacement of people from the regions flooded by the reservoir.

        Aswan High Dam, Arabic Al-Sadd al-ʿĀlī, rockfill dam across the Nile River, at Aswān, Egypt, completed in 1970 (and formally inaugurated in January 1971) at a cost of about $1 billion. The dam, 364 feet (111 metres) high, with a crest length of 12,562 feet (3,830 metres) and a volume of 57,940,000 cubic yards (44,300,000 cubic metres), impounds a reservoir, Lake Nasser, that has a gross capacity of 5.97 trillion cubic feet (169 billion cubic metres). Of the Nile’s total annual discharge, some 2.6 trillion cubic feet (74 billion cubic metres) of water have been allocated by treaty between Egypt and Sudan, with about 1.96 trillion cubic feet (55.5 billion cubic metres) apportioned to Egypt and the remainder to Sudan. Lake Nasser backs up the Nile about 200 miles (320 km) in Egypt and almost 100 miles (160 km) farther upstream (south) in Sudan; creation of the reservoir necessitated the costly relocation of the ancient Egyptian temple complex of Abu Simbel, which would otherwise have been submerged. Ninety thousand Egyptian fellahin (peasants) and Sudanese Nubian nomads had to be relocated. Fifty thousand Egyptians were transported to the Kawm Umbū valley, 30 miles (50 km) north of Aswān, to form a new agricultural zone called Nubaria, and most of the Sudanese were resettled around Khashm al-Qirbah, Sudan

 

                                                 The River Nile(4)

          Muqrin al-Nilain

      Muqrin al-Nilain: The area is considered as a rare geographical location, and wherein the blue Nile which descends and plateaus of Ethiopia with the white Nile to and came to lake Victoria located on the boarders of each and may Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya, it is the longest river in the world and descends north to the Mediterranean sea through the Arab republic of Egypt. The Muqrin area has acquired extraordinary charm and attraction, making a peaceful retreat for seekers of spirit and beauty, and enjoy seeing a meeting Nile hug after come along way of this distinctions and notice the waves of the blue Nile, and the calm waves of the white Nile break at their confluence, to the beautiful scenic views that please the heart and mind and never get bored to see it, while the swaying branches of the trees with a stream of fresh air on the beach, and the birds chirp and made a beautiful nature aesthetic. The area of ​​Muqrin was known for its historical and archaeological significance and its occupants played major roles in the economic, political and social activities in Sudan. It is bordered by the Nile Road, adjacent to the Blue Nile, and south by Al-Tabiya Street.

             Some of the references indicate that the area of ​​Muqrin al-Nilain was located in antiquity in the homeland of the Nile. The archaeological discoveries in 1945 revealed a homeland for the Neilites whose civilization dates back to an ancient era, as it was proved to be inhabited in the time of the Nabataean kingdoms, Marwa) 750 BC - 350 m. More than a dozen sites around the Horn of the Nile were also found. The region is distinguished between the cities of the three Sudanese capitals Khartoum, Omdurman and Khartoum Bahri, and lies the island of Totti in front of the forum and also mediate the three capital cities. The origin of the Muqrin region dates back to the Turkish rule, thanks to Khurshid Pasha Bek (1826-1838), when he ordered the removal of traditional dwellings and referred them to houses made of wood panels. Among the most important modern features of the Muqrin area are Friendship Hall, Corinthia Tower (formerly Al Fateh), Sudan National Museum, Central Bank of Sudan, Al Muqarn Secondary School, Al Muqarn Commercial Central Area, In addition to a number of diplomatic mission headquarters.

 This geographical area is a high place in the hearts of the Sudanese, where the poets and creators are immersed. In general, the Nile is the homeland and the family, as some call it, not just a river in a geographical area, but it has a historical and cultural significance in the Sudanese nation. One of the most beautiful images of the Muqrin is sung by the famous Sudanese poet Abdelkareem Al-Kabli, by his grace the people's time, the most beautiful image and meanings.Muqrin al-Nilain: The area is considered as a rare geographical location, and wherein the blue nile which descends and plateaus of Ethiopia with the white Nile to and came to lake Victoria located on the boarders of each and may Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya, it is the longest river in the world and descends north to the Mediterranean sea through the Arab republic of Egypt. The Muqrin area has acquired extraordinary charm and attraction, making a peaceful retreat for seekers of spirit and beauty, and enjoy seeing a meeting Nile hug after come along way of this distinctions and notice the waves of the blue Nile, and the calm waves of the white Nile break at their confluence, to the beautiful scenic views that please the heart and mind and never get bored to see it, while the swaying branches of the trees with a stream of fresh air on the beach, and the birds chirp and made a beautiful nature aesthetic. The area of ​​Muqrin was known for its historical and archaeological significance and its occupants played major roles in the economic, political and social activities in Sudan.