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Map of Modern Egypt

Geography of Egypt

Thematic Map of Egypt

Map of Ancient Egypt

I'm going to tell a story, this happened when I first time traveled to Egypt, and my goal was to learn more about the geography of Ancient Egypt. I decided to go to the Nile River, where the farmers were working to ask the questions. I came up to one of the farmers, and in their language asked, "How does geography impact all of you?" The farmer stood thinking for a few seconds, then answered, "Geography impacts us in many ways, one of the most important though, is the Nile River. It provides water for all of us, and creates healthy rich planting soil for us to plant crops and create surplusses. When the Nile floods, it makes our crops healthier and our soil richer. The Nile also helps us with protection, enemys cant get past the Nile, so were safe. Also limestone walls surround where we live, making it even harder for enemys to attck us. One more thing, we have natural caverns that provide salt, copper and many more materials that help us make jewerly, pottery, weapons and more."

"Thank you!" I say. I wrote down this information on how geography impacted Ancient Egyptians, and moved on to a different farmer." Hello, can you please answer this question for me?" I ask. He nods and I continue. " How does your geography help agricultre development?"

"Well," He says. "The Nile River provides the water we use to keep our crops vegetated, and sometimes it floods over our feilds, creating a natural and more helpful way to keep and make our crops healthy."

"Thank you!" I say, and soon find another farmer to ask my next question. "Hello, can you please tell me how the Nile River is important to you and everyone?"

"Yes, the Nile River is important to us because it is what provides water for our crops and vegetations to make them rich and healthy, and oh. Dont even get me started on how floods help us! It makes our crops grow faster, and it makes them healthier. It also provides water so no one dies of sunstroke or dehydration. And away from food and water, it provides protection from our enemys because its hard for them to get over the Nile River."

"Thank you!" I say, look at my notes and realized I had two more questions to ask, which meant two more farmers. I soon found one working on planting crops and I asked him, "Excuse me, nut can you answer this question for me?" After I got his approval I asked." How are all of you protected by your physical environment?"

"Well," He replied."We have limestone walls protecting the area where we live, so it's hard for dangerous animals or attackers to harm us, and the Nile River provides protection because its hard for dangerous animals or attckers to go over it."

"Thank you!" I say. I went to the same farmer that I asked for my second question, and asked," How does the Nile flooding affect everyone?"

" When the Nile floods it mousterizes our crops better then we can do ourselves, which promotes growing and helps us get food faster. But the most important thing floods do is provide rich black soil for farming and planting. Sometimes though, it brings anguish, and can wash villages away! That's what we sang about in Hymm To The Nile, a folk song." he  says. 

"Thank you!" I say again. All of my geography questions have been answered, and it was time to move on to inventions. Before I went I remembered a primary source called, "Hymm to the Nile."! Exactly what that farmer was talking about. I wrote it down in my notebook to remember for later, then walked off to the big empire.

Hymn to the Nile, c. 2100 BCE

Hail to thee, O Nile! Who manifests thyself over this land, and comes to give life to Egypt! Mysterious is thy issuing forth from the darkness, on this day whereon it is celebrated! Watering the orchards created by Re, to cause all the cattle to live, you give the earth to drink, inexhaustible one! Path that descends from the sky, loving the bread of Seb and the first-fruits of Nepera, You cause the workshops of Ptah to prosper!

Lord of the fish, during the inundation, no bird alights on the crops. You create the grain, you bring forth the barley, assuring perpetuity to the temples. If you cease your toil and your work, then all that exists is in anguish. If the gods suffer in heaven, then the faces of men waste away.

Hieroglyphics 

Technology and Writing

Egyptian Inventions

Pyramid: Large structure that holds pharoahs tombs

 

 

Calender: This is what our basic 12 month lunar calender is based off of, made more than 5,000 years ago

 

 

Clock: A timekeeping device Egyptians used to divide days into equal parts. The time was determined by the position of the sun

http://quizland.com/hiero.htm

Go to this website to create your own hieroglyphics message!

So, I asked scribes, doctors, normal townsfolk, and answered some questions myself, I wrote everything in my notebook and put it here in question answer format.

 

Q: What does it mean to be a scribe?

A: To be a scribe means that you have knowledge that is very rare to have, the knowledge to be able to write and read. It also means that you have the duty to record events for future generations, and you need to be able to write and read hieroglyphics.

 

Q: What materials does a scribe use?

A: Scribes usually wrote on papyrus (paper) with reed brushes that were dipped in ink. To make the ink you have to mix materials into powder then add liquid to make it easier to apply.

 

Q: Was it difficult to be a scribe?

A: To become a scribe you have to go through 4 to 5 years of training and be able to memorize all the information given to you, so it depended

On the type of person if it was difficult or not.

 

Q: Who could be a scribe?

A: Not anyone could be a scribe, usually only the sons of scribes were able to be and become one.

Now away from the scribes, medical technology.

 

Q: What advancements did ancient Egyptians make in medical technology?

A: The Edwin Smith Papyrus is a medical text from Ancient Egypt that still survives today. Unlike most medical texts which are based on magic, this one was based on rationality and science. This medical text explains how to cure surgery trauma. Also the Ebbers Papyrus has medical remedies in it to help cure sickness and disease. For example, for asthma a mixture of herbs on a brick so the patient can inhale the fumes. And fir cancer, it’s a "tumor against the god Xenus" so it says, "do thou nothing there against"

 

If I could be anyone in Ancient Egypt, except the pharaoh, I would be a scribe, because I get exceptional knowledge that most others don’t have the opportunity to receive. The reasons I would want to be a scribe is because I get to write, and read and I'd have high honor. Some advantages of being a scribe is I have honor, and am not treated like a slave, I get knowledge like writing and reading and I have a very important job to Ancient Egypt. Some disadvantages are It's difficult to be scribe because I might not be able to process all of the knowledge, also I have to go through 4-5 years of training to be a scribe, and I have such an important  job sometimes it can be overwhelming.

Egyptian technological advancments

Papyrus:  This is the first form of paper that could be written on. The Ancient Egyptians used papyrus for relegious texts and important documents, but it evolved to what we now call paper which we write on almost every day.

Mathematics: To build pyramids and temples Egyptians needed to use mathematics, especially goemetry. They used math and numbers to record business transactions. They also created the decimal system, which we use daily, for school and for normal everyday life.

Fun Fact: All Egyptian numbers were factors of 10, so to record 4 they would write, "1,1,1,1"

 

Makeup: Men and women in Ancient Egypt wore makeup, mostly for cosmetic purposes. It was alos used to protect skin from the sun. The makeup they arfe most known for is kohl. Kohl is the dark black stuff they wear around their eyes. Kohl is made form soot and other materials, and is what generated modern eyeliner.

Made by: Alice Zborovskiy

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