Egypt
Pyramids and pharaohs,mummies and magic,picture writing on papyrus—ancient Egypt had all this,and much more.Rich,powerful,and peace-loving,this North African kingdom was home to a splendid civilization that lasted 3,000 years,from about 3300 bc to 30 bc.
RED LAND,BLACK LAND
Ancient Egypt was a vast territory,stretching 700 miles (1,100 kilometers) southward from the Mediterranean Sea.Most of it was hot,dry,and dusty.The Egyptians called it Deshret (red land).But the world’s longest river,the Nile,runs through this desert.Every year,the river flooded the surrounding land.The floods left sticky,smelly mud covering the land along the riverbanks.Egyptians called the riverside area Kemet (black land).This land was very fertile.About 5000 bc,the ancient Egyptians built some of the world’s first farms and villages there.
THE GIFT OF THE NILE
Egypt was sometimes called “the gift of the Nile.” All Egyptian life depended on the river.Farmers dug ditches to bring its water to fields of wheat,grapes,and onions.Rich nobles,town traders,and poor country families all built homes made of sun-dried river mud.Craftspeople shaped clay from the Nile into pottery,and wove cloth from the flax plant that grew on its banks.Families caught fish and river birds for food.Children played in riverside pools,but they had to watch out for killer crocodiles!
