PlantsandAnimals oftheNile

J.P Grade6 2013 HumanitiesandEnglish

TheplantsandanimalsoftheNileriverkepttheancientEgyptiansocietyaliveand stable.Alotoftheplantsweregrownforfoodbutsomeweregrownforotherreasons.The animalswereusedfortransportandwerealsoforeatenasfood.Notallplantswerefor foodsomeweregrownforotherreasonssuchastheDatepalmforshadeandPapyrusfor paper.Iftheplantsortheanimalshadbeenremoved,theEgyptiansocietywouldnever haveexisted.TherewerealsoanimalsthatlivedbytheNile. SomeoftheplantsthatweregrownbyfarmersareDates,Lettuce,Papyrus, Onions,Garlic,Leeks,Barley,Flax,Grapes,Figs,Pomegranates,Beans,Gourds,Lentils andfinallyMellons.Datesweregrownforfood.Theyarestillgrownforfoodtoday.They werealsogrownforshade.LettucewasanotherfoodgrownbytheEgyptians.Itwas dedicatedtothegodMin.Asmallstatueofhimwasputbythelettucetoprotectit.The lettucesleaveswereeatenwhole.Theywereoftendippedinoilorsalttoaddmoreflavor. Lettucewasoftenpartofvotiveofferings(FruitsandVegetables). AnotherplantthatwasgrowninancientEgyptwasPapyrus.Thisplanthoweveris grownforanotherreasonthanalltheothers.Papyruswasusedforpaperandrope.The Egyptianstookthisreedandusedtheinsideandsoakeditinwaterandthenlaidthemon topofeachotherandletitdryinthesunandthentheymadePapyruspaper.(Freyetal., 69).AnotherEgyptiancropwasonions.Howeveronionswereforbiddenfrompriests becauseoftheiraphrodisiacaleffects. GarlicwasanotherplantgrowninancientEgypt.ItwashighlyvaluedinEgyptian society.(Fruitsandvegetables).Howevertheyweregiventoslavesformorestrengthfor buildingbigmonumentsforthePharaoh.Theywerealsogiventosoldiersforcouragein battles.EventhoughGarlicwashighlyvalued,itwasstilleatenbysomeofthelower classes. AnothercropwasBarley.ItwasoneofthemaincropsgrowninEgypt.Itwasa staplecropwasalsooneoftheprimecropsinMesopotamia.Thisplantwasusedtomake breadandbear.Egyptiansusedthegrainstoproducebread.ThiscropFlaxwasanother crop.Itismainlyusedforsailsonships.Theflaxplantsproutsannuallywhichmeansitonly sproutsyearly.TheEgyptiansdidnothavemuchtimetogrowthiscrop.Surprisinglythis plantsfloweronlyhadfivepetalsanditwasbeusedformedicine("InterestingFacts). TherewerealsofarmedanimalsinancientEgypt.SomeofthemincludeJackals, Cows,Sheep,Goats,Pigs,Poultry,Duck,andPigeons.TheywereallimportanttoEgyptian society.Someofthemwereraisedforfoodandothersraisedforwork.Jackalswereadog likecreaturethatsurvivedbyeatingthegoodpartofoldmeat.Theyoftendugupold

gravesandateanyofthegoodmeat.TheJackalsheadwasalsotheheadofthegod Anubis(Barrow). Egyptiansalsoraisedcows.Theywereraisedfortheirmeat.Theslavesweretoo poortoaffordthemeateventhoughtheyraisedthecows.Onlytherichhadcowasmeat. Thecowwasalsousedforworkuntiltheywerebigenoughtobefood.Theyworkedona varietyofthings.Theywerealsoraisedfortheirmilk(CattleinAncientEgypt).Sheepwere anotheranimalraisedinEgypt.LiketheCowitwasraisedforitsmilk.Theywerealso raisedforitsmeat.Howeverthemeatonthesheepwasnotasgood.Thebestthingabout thesheepwasthewool.TheEgyptianspreferredlessitchyandhotlinen.Theyreallyliked thelightwoolinsteadoftheheavierlinen(Sheep) AnotheranimalraisedinancientEgyptwasGoatstheywerenotusedforworkbut mainlyfortheirmilk.Manypharaohshuntedthewildonesthatlivedbymountains(Goats). AnotheranimalthatwasraisedinEgyptisPigs.Thepigwasusedinmedicines.They wouldcrushtheteethtomakepowder.Theeyeballswerealsousedformedicine,aswell astheblood!InancientEgyptifyouhadastoneintheshapeofapig,itwasconsidereda luckycharm(PigsinAncientEgypt).

ThereweremanywildanimalsinancientEgyptianswell.Someofthemincludedthe Nilecrocodile,hipposandloadsoffish.TheNilecrocodilecangrowuptotwentyfeetlong. TheNilecrocodileisthelargestcrocodileisAfrica.Theycanweighupto1,500pounds! Theyhunttheirfoodbykillinganimalsthatcometotherivertohaveadrink(AnimalsAlong theNileRiver).Theyareknowntokillantelopeandzebraandsometimeshumans(Nile Crocodile). HipposwereanotheranimalthatranaroundwildinEgypt.Theynormallylivedin groupsfrom1020.Theyareherbivoressotheyonlyeatplants(AnimalsAlongtheNile River).TheHippowouldofteneatfromfarmerswheatandcrops.Sometimestheywould overturnboatsinsearchofwheat.Whenpeoplegottooclosetothemtheywouldinjureor evenkillthem.SincetheyweredisturbingEgyptiansociety,peoplewentonhippohuntsto killthemoff.Infact,theEgyptianKingMeneswassaidtobeeatenbyonewhilehewas huntingthemonaboat.ThehippowasalsothesymbolofthegodOsiriswhoisthegodof thedead(Hippo). TheplantsandanimalsoftheNileriverwerereallyimportantandtheywereoneof thekeythingsthatsupportedEgyptiansociety.ThefloodsoftheNilemadetheseplants growhealthythentheanimalscameandatetheplantsandthecarnivoresatethem.

WithoutthatcycletheNileriverwouldnothavebeentouchedforhundredstothousandsof years.WithouttheplantsandanimalsEgyptwouldonlyberock,sandanddust.

NileCrocodile

Hippo

Jackal

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