Vocabulary

Cataract: A waterfall or rapids in a river.

Signifigance - There were many cataracts along the Nile.

Delta: A fan-shaped area of silt near where a river flows into the sea.

Significance - There was a large delta in the Nile called the Nile Delta.

Shadoof: A bucket attached to a long pole used to transfer river water to storage basins.

Significance - Egyptian farmers used them to transport water

Papyrus: A reed plant that grew wild along the Nile.

Significance - Egyptians used papyrus to make paper.

Hieroglyphics: A writing system made up of a combination of pictures and sound symbols.
Significance - Egyptians used this writing system to record history.

Black Land: The fertile land around the Nile River.
Significance - The Egyptians used this land to farm.

Red Land: The dry desert just beyond the fertile Nile River Valley.
Significance - The Egyptians knew not to venture far into here.

Dynasty: A line of rulers from one family
Significance - There were many Egyptian dynasties.

Theocracy: Government by religious leaders.
Significance - Egypt's government was this.

Pharaoh: Ruler of ancient Egypt.
Significance - Egyptian rulers were known as this.

Bureaucrat: A government official.
Significance - Egyptian pharaohs appointed these.

Embalming: The process of treating a body to keep it from decaying.
Significance - This was practiced on dead bodies in Egypt.

Pyramid: Great stone tomb built for an Egyptian pharaoh.
Significance - Egyptian pharaohs were buried in these.

Incense: A material that produces a pleasant smell when burned.
Significance - Egyptians valued this and traded for it.

Envoy: A government representative to another country.
Significance - Egypt exchanged these with other countries.

Source: Discovering Our Past