The Irrigation In Ancient Egypt

The geographical position and entironment of ancient Egypt decide the important role that irrigation plays in the development of it. The Nile is the lifeline and the main source of irrigation of ancient Egypt. The natural irrigation caused by the seasonal flooding of the Nile is the principle part of irrigation in ancient Egypt. Artificial irrigation gets further development on the basis of the natural irrigation. Irrigation has greatly influenced the economy and politics of ancient Egypt. It guarantees the life of people residing in the Nile valley and Delta and promotes the development of economy.This thesis is devided into three chapters. In the first chapter, the author makes a brief introduction to the geographical position and entironment of ancient Egypt, and points out that the Nile is the lifeline and main source of irrigation of ancient Egypt.1. The geographical position and entironment of ancient Egypt. Compared with other countries in Africa, ancient Egypt has a unique geographical position. It is situated in the northeast of Africa, with the Red Sea to the east, Libya to the west, Nubia to the south and Mediterranean Sea to the north. With the Nile as its center, Egypt is a dry land around with areas divided by mountanious regions and deserts. The majority of the territories of Egypt are deserts, which account for 96% of them, while human inhabited areas only account for 4%.2. The natural irrigation of the Nile. Flowing through the desert, the Nile keeps the life of the country and people, cultivates a great civilization, and molds the life style of peasants along the bank.A. The flooding of the Nile.The periodic flooding of the Nile provides the source for agriculture irrigation and brings it a large amount of organic compound and fertile alluvium, which supplies sufficient nutrition for the development of agriculture. Meanwhile, it can also complement the evaporated water and bring Egypt necessary moisture.B. The natural irrigation of the Nile.The deluge of the Nile flows into the lands and forms basins. With the slack up of deluge, the water deposited in the basins flows back into the fields by overflowing riverbed, provides the source for irrigation in time when the basins get dry, and irrigates the plantation and crops. The natural irrigation of the Nile also lies in the penetration of river water. The Nile water penetrates through the buhrstone and porous soil into the subterranean and produces groundwater. When the drought lasts, groundwater becomes an important replenishment to the surface water.In the second chapter, the author makes a thorough analysis of the artificial irrigation in ancient Egypt in terms of its means, organization and management.1. A brief introduction to the development of artificial irrigation in ancient Egypt. The artificial irrigation in ancient Egypt appeared in the Predynastic Period and gets great development and improvement during five periods: the Early Dynastic Period, the Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom, the New Kingdom, the Hellennistic and Roman Egypt. Consequently, the area and scope of irrigation has been enlarged and a national system of irrigation gradually comes into being.2. The means of artificial irrigationA. Basin irrigation.This kind of system of irrigation has been existing since the Middle Kingdom, which is applicable to any crop. It is to improve the efficiency and quality of artificial irrigation on the basis of the natural irrigation caused by the deluge of the Nile, so as to gain more profits from the control of The Nile water. This unique system of irrigation is the groundwork of the Egypt civilization.B. Shaduf and Saqiya highland irrigationShaduf appeared in the Middle Kingdom, and saqiya appeared in Ptolemy period. By these two means, the water in the low lands is elevated to irrigate the high lands where the the Nile water cannot reach. In this way, the problem of water in the high lands is resolved and some vacant fields get sufficiently utilized.C. Compound channel network irrigationThis means of irrigation originated in Faiyum in the 12th dynasty. Large-scale construction and application of it occur during the rein of Greece and Roman. From Sesostris II of the 12th dynasty to Ptolemy II and Ptolemy III in Ptolemy period and later to Augustus during the rein of Roman Empire , compound channel network irrigation was gradually improved and finally established. This project once brought Egypt into a period of prosperity.D. The measure of the Nile water levelThe level to which the Nile water rise is closed related to the prosperity of Egypt society. If the Nile water rises too high, it will cause damage to people's life and properties; if it rises too low, it will bring drought and famine. In light of this nature of the Nile water, rulers of ancient Egypt set down a way of measuring the water level. They set up staff guage along the bank and carved scales of the cliffs besides the second waterfall to note the level to which the Nile deluge reach. This ensured the normal operation of irrigation work in ancient Egypt.3. The organization and management of irrigationThe development and enlargement of the irrigating system and its great influences on the society in ancient Egypt will not work well without good organization and management. To build and maintain the irrigating system has long been an important function of community, Nome and government.In the third chapter, the author illustrates the significant influence of irrigation to the economy and politics of ancient Egypt.1. Economy. As agriculture and horticulture belong to the category of economy, the progress and development of agriculture and horticulture of a country determines its economic development.A. Agriculture.Ancient Egypt is a country living by agriculture. Agriculture is the most important industry of it, with irrigation as the most important factor and foundation in the development of agriculture.B. Horticulture.Gardens, kailyards and orchards are usually situated around the houses, which are generally built on the high lands. They are irrigated because Shaduf and saqiya can bring water from the low lands to the high lands, which promotes the development of horticulture.2. Politics.A. CentralismThe project of irrigation can not be finished by a few people. It needs the recruit and mobilization of large numbers of persons, which is under the interference and control of local and government authorities. Moreover, the development of the countrywide complex system of irrigation requires the domination and distribution of the government. Lots of officials are organized to manage the system and forms giant bureaucracies, while the appointment of officials is in control of Pharaoh, which enhances the power of him and intensifies Centralism.B. RevenueEffective irrigation helps promote the advance of economy, which will increase the revenue of government. The increase of revenue means the increase of financial income. Therefore, there is a correlation between the stand or fall of irrigating system and the revenue of government.Conclusion The irrigating system appeared quite early in ancient Egypt, and there are all kinds means of irrigation. In certain periods, the irrigating system gets effective organization and management. It plays an essential role in the history of ancient Egypt and greatly influences its economy and politics.The ancient Egypt is autocratic country and absolutism is the result of the development of economy and politics, the complication of interclass relationship and the enhancement of majesty. Meanwhile, the author considers that there exists certain relation between the emergence of absolutism and the irrigating system.