Why nile is called gift of egypt

Big cats, such as jaguars and leopards, sometimes attack, kill and eat adult caimans, crocodiles and alligators. Huge serpents such as anacondas and pythons sometimes attack grown crocodilians as well. And baby alligators, crocodiles and caimans have many predators to worry about…. It was also the reason why Egyptians thought the gift of the Nile was given to them by their gods.

The word Nile means life. It has been a blessing for the inhabitants of Egypt not only for agriculture but also for the flora and fauna around the river, accessibility for transportation and trade, among other benefits. During the Neolithic or Stone Age, groups of people living together learned to cultivate crops and plants. Agriculture evolved, and people moved on from the practice of hunting. There was a group of people from North East Africa who settled near the river Nile thus bringing into existence the Egyptian Civilization around years ago.

The culture and Civilization developed over time. The gift of the Nile helped people grow crops. The river Nile flooded once every year, which was considered a blessing for the settlers as this flooding aided in agriculture.

The floods would lead to the deposition of silt in the area along the river Nile which was beneficial for the crops. The flooding of the river every year occurs around mid-August and continues during the second half of the month. This period is also observed as a holiday. This flooding is the gift of the Nile in the monsoon season. Starting in May, this continues till August. This flooding of the Nile has influenced the seasonal trends in the Egyptian calendar.

The sowing, harvesting and inundation of the land are considered the agricultural season linked to the gift of the Nile. Initially, people faced huge losses due to the flooding as their houses and crops were destroyed.

The term "gift of the Nile" was coined by the renowned philosopher and historian Herodotus. Herodotus admired the very deep connection that Egyptians had with the river and stated that Egypt was, "A land won by the Egyptians and given them by the Nile.

Egypt sits in the fertile river valley on the edge of the Saharan desert. Before the construction of the Aswan. High Dam in , the flooding of the Nile River into the valley occurred every year after the snow melted in the East African mountain range. The flooding is the outcome of an annual monsoon from May to August which causes huge precipitation in the Ethiopian highlands whose peak reaches 14,ft.

Ancient Egyptians were not aware of these facts, and they could only observe the flooding of the Nile waters. The Egyptians could only forecast the exact flooding levels and date by transmitting the readings of the gauge at Aswan to the lower parts of Ancient Egypt. The only thing that was not predictable was the total discharge and extent of flooding.

The Nile flooded during the Akhet season.