The importance of the Nile

How do natural features like lakes and river help bring people together or keep them apart? Lakes, rivers, and other bodies of water play a huge role i the joining of communities. The people who lived along the Nile were brought together because their crops depended on the flooding and in order to not starve they needed to be able to predict when the Nile would flood. By coming together they learned the patterns of the Nile and starvation was no longer a huge problem. Although, bodies of water can also keep people apart. In a less advanced society, people wouldn't be able to cross bodies of water, and therefor that would keep them from traveling, trading, and over all they would not be in contact with humans outside there village or town. Rivers, lakes, oceans, and other natural features play a huge part in human contact.

Life along the NIle

"Isis! Where are you?" My mother called from what sounded like the kitchen. I was sitting on the river bank watching and waiting for my brother to come home. The sun was setting, so the crocodiles weren't feeding, making it safe for me to sit so close to the water. As Rah descended into the underworld, beautiful colors dominated the sky and cast a rainbow shadow over the Nile. All of a sudden I heard my named called again, only from a different voice. "Isis, set away from the bank, you will no doubt be eaten be crocodiles sitting that close!" It was my father calling, and behind him my brother,Amun. Each of them carrying a stack of fish that would be cooked for an evening meal. They dragged their boats onto shore and my father whet off to tend to the fields. Leaving me and my brother alone. "How is mother, has she been frantic all day?" He asked, his eyes smiling. "Of course she has, I've never seen our home so clean. I scrubbed the floors for so long my fingers bled." I looked down at the shredded remains of my hands. Amun looked and smiled. "You know how important it is that we impress the landlord. Almost as important as the flooding of the Nile. Without it, we can't survive." "Amun, bring your fish in before it spoils, I won't have the landlord getting sick!" Called our mother. We each grabbed a handle of the basket and walked through the palm trees to out home. The next day started as any other. I woke up and helped my mother prepare morning meal. Then my brother and father when out to hunt and catch fish while mother and I tended the animals. Our small farm housed a pig, three goats, and a very pregnant cow. We straightened the barn and tidied up the fields. Everything had to look perfect for the landlord, or we would have our home, farm, money, and life snatched away from us. And that could not happen. Over the horizon I can see a figure coming toward us by camel caravan. My mother dashes into the house to most likely to do some last minute cleaning. My first instinct is to run and hide in the barn. But something inside me knows that my place is in the house with my mother, eagerly awaiting the return of my brother.

Relationship between mummies and their environment

What is the relationship between mummies and their environment? The environment can play a huge part in accidental mummification. If an area is really arid, it will dry out the mummy the way the Egyptians would spend months doing. If you die in the desert the sun and sand will dry you out and preserve your body, making you an accidental mummy. Also, if you die in a really cold frigged place like a mountain top, you have a chance at an accidental mummification. It will freeze your skin and insides and keep you in once piece. A final way is if you die in a marsh region. The chemicals will preserve your body really well and keep you looking somewhat lively.

What are the reasons mummies are made? Mummies are made for a lot of reasons. They are thought to be a way to give people an eternal life. If you lost a loved a loved one, it would be a lot more comforting to know that they are not going anywhere and that by mummifying them you are preserving their sole. Also, people were really fascinated with the idea of an afterlife. They wanted to preserve the bodies so that they had a chance at another good life in the afterlife. Although, not all mummification were not an act of love. In places like England there have been sightings of mummies that had been exicuted and their bodys had been thrown in the bog. Some still had ropes tied around their necks. There have also been frozen bodies found on the ops of mountains that would have probably been sacrificed.

The mummy article and some new words

New word #1 : Cryonics: Deep-freezing a person at death with the hopes that someday they will be revived.
New word # 2: Transgressions: a crime that has been committed

Mummy: A dead, preserved body that has been preserved so that they can live on forever

1)In what part of the world have mummies been found in? Mummies have been found in Europe, Asia, and in lots of places in Africa

2) In what types of places have mummies been found? Mummies are usually found in really dry or hot climates, ice regions, or what is or use to be bogs. All of these places are helpful because it will preserve the body so it doesn't decompose.

3) How did ancient Egyptian preserve their dead? The ancient Egyptians removed all of the bodies inner organs. They used many salts and oils to dry out the skin and other parts of the body. The carcass was then stuffed and wrapped and preserved in linen.

4) Why do you think ancient Egyptian took such care to embalm their dead if the dessert could do the job for them? The dead and the afterlife played a huge role in the Egyptian culture. They wanted their loved ones to have a good afterlife and would make sure that the customs they were buried in made it so. Also, they respected their dead and believed in the idea of eternal life. It was a huge deal to be mummified because it represented many peoples desire to live on forever
5) what features of a natural environment can caused bodies to be mummified? If a climate is extremely dry or very cold, this can cause the body to freeze or dry out so that they are preserved and have a much less likely chance of decomposing. Also, bogs or places with a high chemical level can also cause changes in the skin and body that make it possible to be preserved.

6)According to some scientific beliefs, what are some reasons why people were unintentionally mummified. Some people think that a way people were unintentionally mummified is that they were used as a sacrifice to the gods. There have been mummies found on the top of mountain peeks that were they unlucky people that were chosen as a sacrifice to the mountain gods. Another way is that the bodies of exiccuted people are also some of the accidental mummies. In places in England and western Europe, we have found dead bodies with the ropes they were hung with still around their necks as mummies in the bogs.

Where is a good place to find a mummy?
1) What is the climate?
2) What were the beliefs of the people that lived in the area around that time?
3) Were their many sacrifices/ death punishments?
4) Does it have any bogs?
5) were there any mountains in this area?

This is the poster I created with the help of Luka Lilla. We had to design a poster and give a report on an ancient empire. We were assigned Babylon and it was really cool. They were a really strong, dominate empire and I had a lot of fun learning interesting facts about the empire. I look forwards to the presentation we will have to create in the future units.