(1) Ancient Egypt was located in the northeast of Africa (present-day Middle East), originally in the Nile Valley, and did not reach the territory of present-day Egypt until its national strength became strong. It borders the Mediterranean Sea in the north, the Red Sea in the east and Nubia (now Ethiopia and Sudan) in the south. Geographically speaking, both sides of Egypt are deserts, and there are several large shoals in the south, so it is difficult to communicate with the outside world. Only through the Sinai Peninsula in the northeast can we communicate with West Asia more conveniently. Therefore, ancient Egypt was isolated.
(2) The Nile, which runs through Egypt, is formed by the confluence of the White Nile originating in Central Africa and the Blue Nile originating in Sudan. The Nile, which flows through forests and grasslands, floods regularly from July to June and165438+1October every year to irrigate the dry land on both sides. Sediment containing a lot of minerals and humus flows down the river and gradually deposits on both banks, becoming fertile black soil.
(3) The ancient Egyptians therefore called their country "Kemet" (meaning black land). Herodotus, an ancient Greek historian, said, "Egypt is a gift from the Nile." The ancient Egyptians wrote such a poem: "O Nile, I praise you. You flowed out of the earth and nurtured Egypt. Once your water flow decreases, people will stop breathing. "
(4) Egypt's geographical location makes it rainy but not much. From a large number of sculptures and paintings left by ancient Egypt, we can see that the ancient Egyptians are characterized by tall figure, dark hair, low forehead, thick eyelashes, black eyes, straight nose, wide face, wide shoulders, bronzed skin and strong physique. Their body shape and appearance are different from those of ancient Libyans and Nubians, and they are also different from those of ancient Asians, but they have their own unique characteristics.
(5) Herodotus, an ancient Greek historian, said, "Egypt is a gift from the Nile." Geographically, the Nile comes from the mountains of the East African Plateau, and floods and sediments have shaped the fertile valley plains of the Great Rift Valley in East Africa. It stretches like a vine in the desolate Sahara desert. The Nile in history came from the Neolithic Age, and it nurtured the ancient Egyptian civilization with its own milk. In human history, the Nile is the embodiment of civilization. In the eyes of the world, civilization is always associated with the Nile.
Extended data:
An overview of ancient Egyptian chronology;
1, primitive society:
The primitive society of the Egyptians began with the Egyptian Homo erectus 2 million years ago, which was the earliest human being in Egypt. Their ancestors belonged to ancient Egyptian apes, mainly from primitive apes and Egyptian apes in Fayoum depression, Egypt. The homo erectus life in Fayong, Egypt, reflects the earliest human activities in Egypt.
Ancient Egypt has a clear historical year of 664 BC.
2. Dynasty society:
In the 3rd century BC, Manieto divided the history of Egypt from menes to Alexandria into thirty (or thirty-one) dynasties, and some scholars also divided the history of ancient Egypt into the following periods:
(1) I period of Nigada culture (Amrat period, about 4500 BC-3500 BC)
② Nigada Culture II (Grce period, about 3500 BC-3 BC100).
③ Early dynasty (1-2 dynasty, about 3 100-2686 BC).
(4) The ancient kingdom period (3-6 dynasties, about 2686-2 BC181year, also known as the pyramid period).
(5) The first intermediate period (7- 10 dynasty BC, about 218 BC1-2040 BC).
(6) Middle Kingdom period (114 dynasty, about 2040 BC-BC 1786).
(7) The second middle period (15-17 dynasty, about BC1786-BC 1567).
(8) New Kingdom Period (about 18-20 BC,1567 BC 1085 BC, the Egyptian Empire began to take shape).
(9) Post-Egyptian period (2 1-3 1 dynasty, about BC 1085-332).
(10) Macedonian Greek and Roman rule (332 BC-642 AD)
1 4, the slave state was formed and the unified dynasty appeared; 5-7, rebuilding a unified kingdom and establishing an empire; During the period of 8- 10, the slave countries in Egypt declined and fell into foreign rule.
Baidu Encyclopedia-Ancient Egypt