Farming Seasons
What is the name of the season when the Nile floods?
Inundation
What are some reasons that the Nile River is different from the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers?
It floods predictably
It's levels gently rise and fall
The Nile River runs south to north, opposite of most rivers
(It begins in the rivers that flow into Lake Victoria (located in modern-day Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda) and travels more than 6,800 kilometers (4,000 miles) to the north, emptying into the Mediterranean Sea on Egypt’s coast.)
Who was the first Pharaoh according to myth?
Osiris
What does “inundation” mean?
Flooding
What tool did Egyptians use to lift water from the Nile?
Shadoof
During which season do Egyptians plant crops?
Emergence
What is the “Gift” of the Nile?
Black silt that makes soil fertile
Who killed Osiris out of jealousy?
Set
What is “silt”?
Rich soil left behind after flooding
Name one irrigation method used by Egyptians.
Canals, ditches, basins
What season is known for harvesting crops?
(Drought)
What god is associated with the Nile River?
Hapi
Who helped Isis put Osiris back together?
Anubis
What does “irrigate” mean?
To bring water to crops
What animals helped pull plows during planting season?
Donkeys and oxen
What did farmers do during the flood season when they couldn’t farm?
(Worked on building projects for the pharaoh)
Why did Egyptians throw offerings into the Nile?
To ensure the flood wasn’t too low or too high
What did Ra do when he heard about Osiris’s death?
Made him god of the dead
What is a “drought”?
A season with little or no rain
What tools were used to harvest crops?
Metal sickles, stone axes, shovels
Name the months associated with each of the three farming seasons.
Inundation: Jun 15–Oct 15
Emergence: Oct 15–Feb 15
Drought: Feb 15–Jun 15
How did Isis’s tears explain the Nile’s flooding in mythology?
Her tears caused the river to rise each year
What symbols did pharaohs carry to honor Osiris?
Crook and flail
What does “predictable” mean in relation to the Nile?
It floods at the same time every year
How did irrigation help Egypt’s economy?
Allowed surplus crops, leading to trade and growth