THE DYNAMICS OF A RIVERINE CIVILIZATION - A GEOARCHAEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE NILE VALLEY, EGYPT

Egyptian civilization depended on the bounty of the River Nile. Freque nt fluctuations in the height of summer floods influenced both floodpl ain geomorphology and the area cultivated. Thus agricultural yield osc illated as a function of pronounced interannual variability, as well a s episodic variations in response to abrupt climatic changes in the wa tershed of the Nile tributaries. This situation also created a dynamic landscape and a variety of cultural responses depending on the specif ic cultural-historical circumstances. The aggradation of the floodplai n has also influenced the recovery of archaeological remains. Predynas tic settlement sites in the Delta are 4-6m below the surface and Graec o-Roman settlements are 1-2m deep. Subsidence of the Delta and sea-lev el change were responsible for pronounced changes in the geomorphology of the Delta, the distribution of waterways and hence trade.