1. The River People
Ch 2 Section 1(cont)

2. Nile River Nile 4000 miles Flood plain was a magnet for life
Human, plant and animal
Could grow crops
Settle into permanent villages.

3. Animals
Fish, ducks, crocodiles, hippos , giraffes, ostriches and geese
Lived in the Nile River and delta region
Some were eaten
Some ate!

4. Regular Flooding Nile Floods more consistent and gentle
Farm and live securely, Did not worry
A thick layer of dark, fertile silt or mud.
Flooding occurred from July to September
River attained its highest level in October
Lowest point sometime between April and June
Called land Kemet – “the Black Land”

5. Successful Farmers . Used Nile Irrigation
Dug basins, holes to trap waters
Dug canals from basins to field
Dikes (high banks) to strengthen

6. Successful Farmers . Planted wheat, barley, and flax Surplus food
Animals separate grain
Trade

7. Technology Shadoof (Shaduf) A bucket attached to a long pole
Lift water from Nile to basin
Still used today

8. Technology (cont) Geometry used to survey or measure land
Floods washed away boundaries
Divide fields again

9. Papyrus
Reed plant grew along Nile
Baskets, sandals, river rafts

10. Papyrus Later, paper making Cut strips from stalks Soak in water
Pound flat
Dry and join together

11. Hieroglyphics Wrote on Papyrus Rolls Developed system of writing
Originally thousands of picture
Stood for objects and ideas

12. Hieroglyphics Later created symbols that stood for sounds
Combining both picture symbols and sound symbols
Complex writing system – Hieroglyphics

13. Hieroglyphics Few people could read or write Some men special schools
In temples to learn reading and writing
Scribes
Kept records
Worked for rulers and priests and traders
Carved hieroglyphics in stone walls and monuments
Wrote on papyrus for every day work