Landscape

The river Nile still dominates the land of Egypt and was the main means of transport in ancient times. Each year the river would flood and deposit fertile mud on the riverbanks, ideal for growing crops. Yet the landscape was one of contrasts, with the fertile green banks of the river just next to harsh dry desert. People mainly lived near the river, while the dead were buried in the desert. The desert conditions of cemeteries have lead to the preservation of many objects buried with the dead.

The Nile flooded every year and although the height varied, it was an average of 7.5 meters or 25 feet deep. This meant that huge areas around the Nile river flooded every year, completely changing the landscape. The flood was known as the "Inundation" (which means an "overwhelming amount", in this case water!). The annual flooding dominated the ancient Egyptian calendar and led to the emergence of three seasons based on the flood, the planting and growing of crops and finally, the harvesting of grain.