Posted
on August 15, 2016
The
Nile has flooded for thousands of years, and this important natural
cycle was crucial to the development of the Ancient Egyptian
civilization.
Apparently,
the timing of the flooding was so consistent that the Ancient
Egyptians timed it with the “helical rising of Sirius” – a
yearly event around which the Egyptian calendar is based.
(The
helical rising of Sirius is the day on which Sirius rises above the
eastern horizon just a moment before sunrise. This occurs after a
period of time during which Sirius had not been visible, because it
had been washed out by the much stronger light of the Sun.)
Now
– back to the Nile!
The
Nile River was the only water source in the desert region of Egypt.
Every year its floodwaters would dump silt onto the Egyptian's
fields. The silt was then left behind as the water soaked downwards
or evaporated, and the minerals and organic matter left behind by the
receding Nile fertilized the land. The reliable floods enabled the
Egyptians to grow crops and eventually to create a mighty empire!
 |
| The building of the Aswan Dam is a very interesting story. Ancient statues had to be cut up and relocated! |
Even
though the High Dam at Aswan means that the annual flood no longer
occurs in Egypt (south of the dam, which is “above” the dam on
the Nile, since it flows from South to North, there is still flooding
in modern-day Sudan), Egyptians still celebrate Wafaa El-Nil for
two weeks, starting August 15. The holiday name can be translated to
“Fidelity of the Nile.”
Wafaa
El-Nil celebrations may include flower parades, boat parades, water
sports such as rowing, water skiing, windsurfing, and swimming.
Sometimes dancers and folkloric troops perform, and sometimes there
are portrayals of the ancient legends of the Nile.
Also
on this date:
Plan ahead:
Check out my Pinterest boards for:
And
here are my Pinterest boards for:
No comments:
Post a Comment