The Pyramids at [M 002 / P 002&P051 / Giza] are a monument to the heights reached by Egyptian civilization and a testament to the powers of the Nile River's sustenance. Dynasties came and went as Egypt cycled through periods of great power and weakness and each left their own pyramids and monuments. But few remain to see today and fewer still match the power and simple majesty of the wonders at Giza.
Egyptian civilization was nurtured over thousands of years by the life-giving waters of the Nile River - a channel 4,132 miles long and six to 12 miles wide. Rich [G 032 / alluvial] deposits supplied by the annual flood gathered along the river's course from its equatorial African source and were vital for productive agriculture. Hunters from the North African grasslands were drawn to the river valley when desertification from the warming climate deprived them of food resources. Tribes of Asiatic nomads, migrating sporadically across the [M 001 / Sinai Desert] and the [M 001 / Red Sea], were also enticed by the green valley. During the dry months it was necessary to venture beyond the floodplain in search of game. However, as the seasonal deluge receded in October, fish could be caught from pools and produce harvested from the rejuvenated soil. In time the [L3 201 / ebb and flow of the flood waters would shape these people's lives].
Around 5,000BC a variety of domesticated barley was introduced into the Nile Valley from Asia that led to a more abundant and dependable food supply. With the successful storage of grain, hunting and fishing were less important and people became rooted to settlements. It was not necessary for all the community to be devoted to farming, therefore some inhabitants pursued specialized crafts to improve everyday living. The villages grew as they prospered, drawing in more people from the margins and slowly absorbing surrounding hamlets. These towns became centers of trade and their connectivity formed the eventual need for the larger political divisions of [L3 202 / Upper and Lower Egypt] - the basis of Egyptian civilization.
