THE GEOGRAPHY OF THE NILE VALLEY

From time immemorial there have been "two Egypts" - Upper Egypt to the south and Lower Egypt to the north.

The reason for these apparently 'upside-down' names is that Egypt is the "Gift of the Nile". As such, everything is viewed in relation to the river. The Nile flows into Egypt from the "top" (Upper Egypt in the south) and winds its way "down" (north) until exiting through the Delta (Lower Egypt in the north) and into the Mediterranean Sea.

Upper Egypt runs north from Abu Simbel and the 1st Cataract to the beginning of the Delta near Giza and modern-day Cairo. The Upper Nile valley is one great waterway, with insignificantly small irrigation canals scattered along its length. It is much drier than the Delta, with little to no rain. The lack of seasons in Upper Egypt makes it easier to produce a consistent harvest. Thus it was settled and cultivated first.

Lower Egypt, the Delta, an area of about 10,000 square miles, is a broad swamp intersected by canals. The Mediterranean Sea influences this region bringing a regular winter rainy season. Even today, farmers still work to convert the Delta into arable land.

At the beginning of Egyptian history, the geography of Upper and Lower Egypt created different cultures and styles of government. The Nile runs through Upper Egypt like a single broad road. It allowed an authoritarian government and unified economy. Lower Egypt is laced with many branches and waterways of the Nile. Here government was decentralized, with cultural and economic diversity.

The memory of these two ancient kingdoms remained preserved in the practice and formalities of Egyptian administration for over 3,000 years. One of the pharaohs' most important titles was Neshu-Bet - "Lord of the Two Lands".

In periods of disunity or civil war, Egypt often split again into these component kingdoms.

ARCHEOLOGICAL DEGRADATION IN LOWER EGYPT
Regrettably, the history of Egypt is skewed to the desert areas where the Pyramids are located and to the southern regions around Luxor and Aswan. The reason is that in the Delta, monuments are in a much worse state of repair due to water damage or else lie buried under layers of river mud. Centuries of agricultural and irrigation work have taken their toll. Written record imply that ancient building projects in Lower Egypt rivaled the wonders of Upper Egypt, but are now hidden under cities and fields or obliterated completely. Only bits and pieces remain. We may never know the full splendor of the work of the pharaohs in the Delta.

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