Thousands of years ago on the African continent, one of the oldest states on Earth, Egypt, emerged.
Ancient history: a state on the banks of the Nile. Time of origin and first inhabitants
Egypt, like many other eastern countries, arose in the place where there was a constant source of water. In China, the first settlements appeared along the banks of the Yangtze and the Yellow River, Mesopotamia was located in the valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates. The state on the banks of the Nile, Ancient Egypt, was no exception.
Besides the source of water, the river gave the inhabitants of Ta-Kemet (the ancient name of the country) fertile soil, which allowed them to get a rich harvest.
Egypt emerged about six thousand years ago. The date of its formation, accepted by most researchers, is the middle of the 4th millennium BC. e. Who inhabited the state on the banks of the Nile at that time?
At the beginning of the fourth millennium BC. e. on the territory of the future Egypt, Caucasoid proto-Egyptian tribes are formed. They have already entered the period of the emergence of agricultural communities. In addition, they began to engage in cattle breeding. They were already characterized by a sedentary imagelife. The first buildings appear - granaries and dwellings.
At the end of the Eneolithic, several proto-states already existed along the banks of the Nile. This period is called pre-dynastic by researchers, since Egypt has not yet been united under the rule of one ruler into one administrative unit.
United Egypt and its first ruler
It is believed that around 3000 BC. e. The Upper and Lower Kingdoms, which had previously been at enmity, were united into a single state. Egyptologists have very little information about those times, so the question of the ruler who became the head of a united Egypt is debatable. They consider Menes, who, according to the ancient historian Manetho, founded a single state. Other researchers think that he and Pharaoh Narmer are the same person.
If there are still disputes about the identity of the first ruler of Egypt, then the date of the emergence of a united country along the banks of the Nile is already considered to be precisely established.
Natural conditions
What attracted the first inhabitants of the territory of the future Egypt? First of all, it was the Nile. He is a source of fertility of the earth, a real gift for farmers. The silt left after the floods of the river made the soil soft, and it was easy to work even with a wooden plow. The climate allowed for several crops a year.
A feature of Egypt was that all the necessary raw materials were nearby. There were almost no metals on the territory of the country, but they were mined inneighboring areas. What the state on the banks of the Nile was in dire need of was wood.
Egypt was very well located geographically. The Nile was navigable and made it possible to connect the country with neighboring states, for example, with Nubia.
Country on the banks of the Nile and its inhabitants. Agriculture and life of the ancient Egyptians
Despite the favorable conditions and climate, farming in Egypt required a lot of effort. The floods of the Nile left behind not only fertile silt, but also wetlands in which dangerous animals were found. The winds blowing from the desert brought sand that covered crops and canals. Agriculture in Egypt was irrigated, and for this many kilometers of canals were built, which constantly had to be maintained in working condition. The first inhabitants of the country had to spend more than one hundred years to turn Egypt into a fabulous place.
The main agricultural crops of the Egyptians were wheat and barley. Due to the unusual softness of the soil, sowing took place in a peculiar way. At first, the grain was simply scattered across the field, and then a herd of goats or pigs was driven through it. With their hooves they trampled the grains into the soil.
The harvest was early - already in April-May. The ears collected in sheaves were threshed, again, with the help of livestock. They laid out the crop on the ground and drove the herd over it. The hooves did a great job and knocked the grain out of the shell.
Except grain crops, farmersgrew vegetables, flax, grapes and planted gardens.
The state on the banks of the Nile was famous for its artisans. The Egyptians achieved high skill in weaving. They made quality linen fabrics that were dyed white, red, blue and green. Pottery was also well developed in Egypt.
The life of the country's population was simple and unpretentious. Peasants and artisans built dwellings from clay and reeds. The houses of the nobility were made of mud brick, which kept cool, or wood. Often walls were built around the dwellings of the rich, so that there was somewhere to hide from prying eyes.
Egyptian food was very simple. The basis of it was cereals and vegetables. Garlic and leek were especially respected. Commoners rarely ate meat, mostly on holidays, and in rich houses it was part of the regular diet.
Conclusion
The country on the banks of the Nile and its inhabitants are of genuine interest even now. Egypt is one of the most mysterious ancient states, the beauty of nature of which causes genuine delight, and majestic monuments - the admiration of its creators.
