The Nile River

Photo courtesy and © 1992 Steven Beikirch, Ancient Egypt

The Egyptians believed the earth looked like a pancake. In the center flowed the Nile River. They thought that around the Great Circle was the ocean. They also believed the sky was flat like the earth and that it was held up with four poles so that the air could flow between the earth and the sky.

Hapy was the god of floods. He was always dressed as a boater or fisherman. He carried a platter of wheat, barley, dates, and flax.

The Nile River begins in the mountains of Africa and flows north to the Mediterranean Sea. It flows through thousands of miles of desert.  After thousands of miles the river has many waterfalls and rapids called cataracts. At the delta the Nile calms down. It branches into many small streams before flowing into the Mediterranean.

Every summer the Nile flooded the river valley. After three months the water would recede leaving behind a thin, rich layer of silt.

The Nile was the fastest way to travel through Ancient Egypt. Traveling on the Nile River was an easy task for the Egyptians. The currents flowed north. Boats could let the currents carry them to their north destination. When the boat wanted to return south, the winds carried them southward. When the winds were not blowing the Egyptians used paddles or long poles to move them forward.

Most of the boats were made from giant papyrus reeds tied together. The royal family and the priest had wooden boats made from cedar wood. It came from Syria. The large wooden boats owned by the royal family were more than 100 feet long. Cargo boats carried granite, cattle, and food to people along the river. These were pulled by teams of men with many sets of oars. When the wind died down the men had to tow the boats along the river with long ropes from the banks.

Traders used the Nile for transportation. They would carry products such as coffee beans, wheat, or furs. Traders bartered to gain the best deals.