Nile impact on ancient civilizations

Providing the atmosphere needed to build and flourish a dynasty, the Nile River is a good example to analyze. The land surrounding the river is extremely fertiled due to annual flooding, making it a cultivating source of wheat and crops for Egyptians, and thus providing food to the general public. Not only a fertiled land as a natural result of annual inundation; moreover, the river is an attraction to different animals such as water buffalos and camels which could be tamed, used for transportion and food as well. The river also provided an efficient path of transportation more convenient than inland routes interms of speed. The Nile has provided Egypt with significant stability needed for superamacy. The fertiled soil of the Nile has always been a good host for imprtant crops such as wheat thus opening trade markets that directly contributed to Egypt’s stable economy. Nevertheless, the Nile has always been a good source of food and money vital for efficient and quick deployment of the army. It has also shaped the relationship between the pharaoh, the peasents and the common Egyptians. The latter would benefit from the development of the Egyption society norished by portion of the harvest passed to the Pharaoh by his peasents. Not only their economy steered by the Nile; it had a great impact on other aspects of their culture and has largely influenced their spirtiual life. It was believed that the east side of the river represented life and the west represented death; therefore, it is not a coincedence that all tombs are found west of the Nile because they believed inorder to enter the afterlife one must be buried at the place representing death. Not only ancient Egypt primarily affected by the Nile; furthermore, Egypt today relies largely on the Nile for maintaining a satisfactory agricultural progression. Recently Egypt has done a break through in transferring the Nile’s water to the Sinai Peninsula for agricultural reasons. President Gamal Abd Al Nasser ordered the construction of the Aswan High Dam, fully constructed in 1970, forming Lake Nasser the third largest water reservoir in the world. The construction of the dam was initiated when the water reservoir reached near the top of the old dam fearing destructive flooding, yet Farmers are forced to replenish nutrients provided by the inundation of the Nile by using about a million tons of artificial fertilizer. The Nile River and the Aswan Dam form Egypt’s lifeline. 12 miles across the river is the home of almost 95% of Egypt’s population today and if it wasn’t for the river ancient Egypt would have never been a civilization.