A Nile river cruise
The Nile is one of the greatest rivers in the world, and
not just because of its length, which makes it the longest
river in the world. Rather, its importance also comes from
the influence it has wielded in the affairs of men and women
who have lived along it. From the ancient times, the Nile
has supplied the inhabitants of the Nile valley not just
with fresh water, but sustenance for life itself.
The Importance of Nile in History
For much of its history, Egypt was an agricultural
society, and depended on the Nile for its irrigation as well
as inundation. As a province of the Roman Empire, Egypt
supplied much of the grain for the ancient city of Rome. It
was all made possible by the yearly flooding of the Nile, in
which the river broke its banks every year and enriched the
land annually by inundating it. Herodotus, the ancient Greek
historian, understood that Egyptian agriculture was made
possible only by the Nile. He was the one who called Egypt
The Gift of the Nile .
The civilizations that arose in Egypt were directly or
indirectly a result of the river itself. Indeed, almost all
the important ancient cultural landmarks of the ancient
Egyptians are within 20 miles (32 kilometres) of the banks
of the river. Today you can see these landmarks by going on
a cruise up the river. The following are the three of the
more interesting landmarks that you can see on a
Nile river cruise.
Double Temple of Kom Ombo
This temple is often called the unusual double temple of
Kom Ombo, because, unlike other temples dedicated to a
single god, it is dedicated to two gods of the ancient
Egyptians. Appropriately, the temple has two of every
important feature, including two courts, two halls, two
sanctuaries etc. It was built by the Ptolemaic dynasty,
which was a Macedonian Greek dynasty, in 2nd and 1st century
B.C.
City of Thebes
Today known by its modern name
Luxor, the city of Thebes is located 5 00 miles (800 km)
south of the Mediterranean Sea. Luxor is also called the
world s largest open-air museum, and it is not hard to see
why. Within its bounds, an d around it, one can find the
following monuments and landmarks: the Karnak Temp le
complex, Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens, Tombs of
the Nobles, Luxo r Museum, Luxor Temple, apart from other
ancient monuments. Many popular films h ave been shot with
these monuments in the background, including the film Death
o n the Nile. Almost every Nile river cruise goes 500 miles
upriver to the City of Thebes, and its ancient monuments.
Valley of the Kings
Also called the Valley of the Gates of the Kings, this
valley served as a burial ground for the pharaohs of the
ancient Egypt for about 500 years. From 16th century B.C. to
11th century B.C., more than 63 known tombs were constructed
for the pharaohs. The valley is located on the west bank of
the river, opposite the modern city of Luxor. Reaching this
landmark on a Nile river cruise cannot be anything but one
of the most thrilling rides of anyone's life.
|
