Cataracts of the Nile. The Cataracts of the Nile are shallow lengths (or white water rapids) of the Nile River, between Aswan and Khartoum, where the surface of the water is broken by many small boulders and stones jutting out of the river bed, as well as many rocky islets.
Why were cataracts important to ancient Egypt?
Why were cataracts important to ancient Egypt? The cataracts are sections where the river tumbles over rocks and have long kept boats from going up and down the river from Equatorial Africa to Egypt. The cataracts are also significant because these define river segments where granites and other hard rocks come down to the edge of the Nile.
How many cataracts are found in the Nile?
The cataracts of the Nile are sections of the Nile river characterized by extreme shallowness and a number of obstacles that make them difficult to navigate. Historically, six sections of cataracts along the river have been particularly notable, and there are a number of smaller shallows that have come and gone with the Nile's changing terrain.
How many cataracts were there along the Nile River?
There are 6 cataracts along the Nile river, in the Nubian section of the Nile. Why is the Nile the most important physical feature in Egypt? The most important thing the Nile provided to the Ancient Egyptians was fertile land. Most of Egypt is desert, but along the Nile River the soil is rich and good for growing crops. …
What is the First Cataract of the Nile River?
The Nile River is shown above passing the granite islands that form the first cataract at Aswan City, Egypt. Cataracts occur where outcrops of granite, as well as other resistant rocks, reach the banks of the Nile River.Mar 14, 2019 Where is the Upper Nile located in Egypt?
What are the Cataracts on the Nile river?
The Cataracts of the Nile are shallow lengths of the Nile River, between Khartoum and Aswan, where the surface of the water is broken by many small boulders and stones jutting out of the river bed, as well as many rocky islets.
How many Cataracts does the Nile river have?
Answer. Yes, the Nile's most significant rapids are the six “Cataracts of the Nile.” The Cataracts of the Nile are a long, shallow stretch of the river between Khartoum, Sudan, and Aswan, Egypt. 7.
What is the area between the first and second Cataracts of the Nile?
Lower Nubia was the northern part of the region, located between the second and the first cataract of Aswān; this was called Wawat.
Where is the 1st cataract?
Aswan CityThe Nile River is shown above passing the granite islands that form the first cataract at Aswan City, Egypt. Cataracts occur where outcrops of granite, as well as other resistant rocks, reach the banks of the Nile River.
What city is on the first cataract of the Nile in Egypt?
AswanLocated at the first cataract of the Nile, 600 miles (almost 1000 km) south of Cairo, Aswan is the southernmost city in Egypt and was the frontier of the ancient city.
Where is the second cataract?
The Second Cataract (or Great Cataract) was in Nubia and is now submerged under Lake Nasser. (21.48°N 30.97°E)
What is the region between the second and sixth Cataracts of the Nile known as?
Nubia consisted of two major regions along the Nile River, from Aswan to Khartoum. Upper Nubia sat between the Second and Sixth Cataracts of the Nile (modern-day central Sudan), and Lower Nubia sat between the First and Second Cataracts (modern-day southern Egypt and northern Sudan).
Where are the cataracts in Egypt?
The cataracts of the Nile are areas between Aswan and Khartoum where the water is shallow and flows quickly. The surface is broken by numerous small boulders and stones that lie on the river bed, as well as many small rocky islets. This is called "rapids or "white water".
How many cataracts are in Egypt?
Six CataractsThe Six Cataracts In Egypt: The First Cataract cuts through Aswan (24.08°N 32.88°E).
Where are the cataracts in Egypt?
The cataracts of the Nile are areas between Aswan and Khartoum where the water is shallow and flows quickly. The surface is broken by numerous small boulders and stones that lie on the river bed, as well as many small rocky islets. This is called "rapids or "white water".
What does cataract mean in Egypt?
In fact, “cataract” means both an opacity of the lens and a torrent of water and is derived from the Greek word kataráktēs meaning the fall of water. A wall painting in an ancient tomb at Thebes (about 1200 B.C.) seems to reveal the treatment of an eye by an oculist.
Why were cataracts important to ancient Egypt?
The cataract system created a natural boundary at Aswan, separating Egypt from its southern neighbor, Nubia.
How many cataracts are there in the Nile?
The six cataracts of the Nile. The First Cataract when it was not all underwater. The cataracts of the Nile are areas between Aswan and Khartoum where the water is shallow and flows quickly. The surface is broken by numerous small boulders and stones that lie on the river bed, as well as many small rocky islets.
Where did the word cataract come from?
The word cataract comes from the Greek word Katarakhtes meaning " waterfall " . In ancient times, Upper Egypt extended from the Nile Delta to the first cataract. Further upstream, in what is modern Sudan, the land was later controlled by the Kingdom of Kush . The cataract faces north, not south, because the river flows north, ...
Why does the cataract face north?
The cataract faces north, not south, because the river flows north, from Lake Victoria in the south. The 1899 book "The River War" by Winston Churchill explains each of the cataracts.
Where is the third cataract?
The Third Cataract is around Tombos / Hannek 19.76° N 30.37° E. The Fourth Cataract is in the Manasir Desert and will be flooded by the Merowe Dam from 2006 onward 18.91° N 32.36° E. The Fifth Cataract is near the confluence with the Atbara River 17.677° N 33.970° E.
What are the obstacles to sailing on the Nile?
River cataracts often go with a rapid down-drop of the river. They block the waterway, since boats cannot safely carry cargo though. The six first cataracts of the River Nile were the main obstacles for boats sailing on the Nile in antiquity.
Where is the first cataract in Egypt?
The First Cataract cuts through Aswan (24°04′41″N 32°52′41″E / 24.078°N 32.878°E / 24.078; 32.878 (First Cataract)) The only cataract in modern-day Egypt.
Where is the 4th cataract?
The Fourth Cataract is in the Manasir Desert and is flooded by the Merowe Dam beginning in the third quarter of 2008. (18°55′N 32°22′E / 18.91°N 32.36°E / 18.91; 32.36 (Fourth Cataract))
