10. What lay at the heart of Egyptian civilization?

Back to History 8 Egypt Questions

source:http://www.rivervalleycivilizations.com/nile.php

The answer below is correct, the answer in the text on page 126 is also correct. "The ideological basis of prehistoric kingship, its symbols and myths, proved uniquely long-lasting, indeed it lay at the heart of Egyptian civilization."RB

The Nile river was at the heart of Egyptian Civilization. The Nile supplied all of the food, the Egyptians used it for transportation, and they revered the Nile as a god itself. The whole base of agriculture relied on the Nile flooding and replacing the soil. The plants harvested from the inundations fed all of Egypt. Also, the Nile resembled going from the land of the living to the land of the dead. When someone important died, they were boated on the Nile to the west side to signify their passing on. The Nile was the backbone of Egypt. Another major facet of Egyptian life is Ma'at. Ma'at is "the philosophy of law, justice, and ethics" (CF Manual, 120), and the Egyptians based their life on these ethics. The Pharaoh was the bringer of those ethics to the people of Egypt.

Eli Night