A Nilometer in 19th century Egypt
Original illustration from the history of the war in the Soudan circa 1886. Info from wiki: A nilometer was a structure for measuring the Nile River's clarity and water level during the annual flood season.[1] There were 3 main types of nilometers, calibrated in Egyptian cubits: (1) a vertical column, (2) a corridor stairway of steps leading down to the Nile, or (3) a deep well with culvert.[1] If the water level was low, there would be famine.[2] If it was too high, it would be destructive.[2] There was a specific mark that indicated how high the flood should be if the fields were to get good soil. Between July and November, the reaches of the Nile running through Egypt would burst their banks and cover the adjacent flood plain. When the waters receded, around September or October, they left behind a rich alluvial deposit of exceptionally fertile black silt over the croplands. The akhet, or Season of the Inundation, was one of the three seasons into which the Ancient Egyptians divided their years
Size: 1800px × 2892px
Photo credit: © Historical Images Archive / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 19th, akhet, annual, calibrated, century, clarity, cubits, egypt, egyptian, engraving, era, famine, flood, good, illustration, image, inundation, level, measuring, nile, nilometer, picture, predicted, rivers, season, soil, victorian, water
