Ancient Egypt: Difference between revisions

m
(→‎Historiography of Egypt: adding more on Herodotus and others)
m (→‎Nile Flooding: Nileometer)
Tag: Reverted
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*** see Google Earth coordinates for Blue Nile source region >> todo
*** see Google Earth coordinates for Blue Nile source region >> todo
==== Nile Flooding ====
==== Nile Flooding ====
[[File:Assuan Elephantine Nilometer 14.JPG|thumb|right|Nilometer on Elephantine Island, used to measure the Nile River's coming flood levels]]
** length of river = long, slow flooding season in Egypt
** length of river = long, slow flooding season in Egypt
** the Nile floods slowly:  
** the Nile floods slowly:  
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**** stays high September
**** stays high September
**** slowly recedes in October
**** slowly recedes in October
* Ancient Egyptians measured coming floods using "Nileometers"
** structures that were placed in the Upper Nile river to measure its height
** and thus measured the coming floods
*** if the measurements were high = disastrous flooding
*** if low = disastrously low crop production
** priests used the measurements to make predictions, thus a source of their power
** Nileometers were used by the ancient Egyptians all the way through to the 20th century building of the Aswan Dam, which collects the flood waters and releases them as needed
==== characteristics of the Nile flooding ====
==== characteristics of the Nile flooding ====
* Nile floods = predictable
* Nile floods = predictable