Uploaded December 2019 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago
Egypt is one of the most important nations in our world, and it's also one that has one of the richest histories. Join us as we explore a brief history of Ancient Egypt.
But where to begin? I mean, the course of history spans a LONG time for Egypt, longer than you might think in fact. However, as in all good stories and tales of long ago, there are some points where we know the stories begin. In this case, we begin in the Neolithic period, and the "founding" of Egypt if you will during this period was done with something you all know very well: The Nile River.
Much like how the Nile River is a lifeline for many in the region (because the vast majority of Egypt and the surrounding areas is desert), the legendary river was vital for those who lived around it during the Pleistocene periods of history. Which if you didn't know ranges all the way back to 2.5 million years ago. No, we're not saying that people lived in what is now Egypt that long ago, But, there are plenty of remains to be found of the people who did live along the river from many, MANY generations ago.
And it's not hard to see why, because during the Neolithic Period of history, survival was something that needed to be done at all cost. Not just from their fellow humans, or other versions of man, but from animals too. The weather was also something to worry about, and in a desert? The last thing you need is to be in a place without water.
The earliest of settlers in Egypt knew the most basic of rules, that if you had water, you could live. So thus, they flocked to the Nile River, and lived around it so that they could survive in the desert. But, as a bonus, it also was a place that few from afar would travel to because of the deserts that lied between them.
Now, was this a true settlement? That's a bit up for debate. Some of the earliest remains are clearly from Neolithic times, but, these weren't true settlers. They were nomads. Later on, settlers did arrive and bring domesticated animals and started to use the land more in a permanent sense, but that wasn't until much later. Evidence points to around 4400 BC when this occurred. And even then, it's hard to definitively prove that there was strategic settlements being made at any point in that time because the remains just don't point to it.
This is also backed up by what we know about Africa as a whole during some of the more "recent" parts of history, like how the Sahara was born, making the Northern Africa lands more uninhabitable. While some see this as a "catalyst" for people flocking to the Nile River in order to live and survive...we just don't have proof of that in the definitive sense. Though, it could be found any day given the numerous archaeological digs going on in the country.
So...when CAN we say that Egypt really started to form as a nation? Well, again, the evidence is sparse, but looking at Egypt now, and noting how the region hasn't improved with its desert features, there are some basics we can extrapolate. For example, while living near the Nile does give you life-saving water...it doesn't just mean you can plop a whole country there. You need to irrigate the lands so you can grow food and have a more sustainable country. And that's what some of the earliest true settlers of Egypt did...but when is yet again up for debate.
Based on estimates, some think it could've been done around 6000-5000 BC, or as some people like to refer to it "Prehistoric Egypt". It was during this period that a small group of people really did start to make Egypt a home. Growing things like Barley, Emmer, Wheat, and more, all the while constructing large buildings that got more and more advanced as technologies grew. Such as with the arrival of Mortar.
It was along these timelines that the various earliest cultures of Egypt started to show up, all of which is backed up by historical finds made around the region. For example, there was the Amratian Culture, which was the first of the bunch. Then there was the Tasian Culture that lived in "upper Egypt" at around 4500 BC, they were known for a special kind of blacktop pottery that was very distinct.
The Badari (who sometimes are lumped in with the Tasian) were the first culture to exist in what we know as the Stone Age, which means we're getting ever closer to the "Ancient Egypt" that you know.
If you wish to know what the "next step" was in the evolution of Egypt, that would be with the Gerzeh Culture. Why? Because it was through them that the literal foundations of Ancient Egypt was laid. It was then that not only expanded through the region, but fought se
Egypt is one of the most important nations in our world, and it's also one that has one of the richest histories. Join us as we explore a brief history of Ancient Egypt.
But where to begin? I mean, the course of history spans a LONG time for Egypt, longer than you might think in fact. However, as in all good stories and tales of long ago, there are some points where we know the stories begin. In this case, we begin in the Neolithic period, and the "founding" of Egypt if you will during this period was done with something you all know very well: The Nile River.
Much like how the Nile River is a lifeline for many in the region (because the vast majority of Egypt and the surrounding areas is desert), the legendary river was vital for those who lived around it during the Pleistocene periods of history. Which if you didn't know ranges all the way back to 2.5 million years ago. No, we're not saying that people lived in what is now Egypt that long ago, But, there are plenty of remains to be found of the people who did live along the river from many, MANY generations ago.
And it's not hard to see why, because during the Neolithic Period of history, survival was something that needed to be done at all cost. Not just from their fellow humans, or other versions of man, but from animals too. The weather was also something to worry about, and in a desert? The last thing you need is to be in a place without water.
The earliest of settlers in Egypt knew the most basic of rules, that if you had water, you could live. So thus, they flocked to the Nile River, and lived around it so that they could survive in the desert. But, as a bonus, it also was a place that few from afar would travel to because of the deserts that lied between them.
Now, was this a true settlement? That's a bit up for debate. Some of the earliest remains are clearly from Neolithic times, but, these weren't true settlers. They were nomads. Later on, settlers did arrive and bring domesticated animals and started to use the land more in a permanent sense, but that wasn't until much later. Evidence points to around 4400 BC when this occurred. And even then, it's hard to definitively prove that there was strategic settlements being made at any point in that time because the remains just don't point to it.
This is also backed up by what we know about Africa as a whole during some of the more "recent" parts of history, like how the Sahara was born, making the Northern Africa lands more uninhabitable. While some see this as a "catalyst" for people flocking to the Nile River in order to live and survive...we just don't have proof of that in the definitive sense. Though, it could be found any day given the numerous archaeological digs going on in the country.
So...when CAN we say that Egypt really started to form as a nation? Well, again, the evidence is sparse, but looking at Egypt now, and noting how the region hasn't improved with its desert features, there are some basics we can extrapolate. For example, while living near the Nile does give you life-saving water...it doesn't just mean you can plop a whole country there. You need to irrigate the lands so you can grow food and have a more sustainable country. And that's what some of the earliest true settlers of Egypt did...but when is yet again up for debate.
Based on estimates, some think it could've been done around 6000-5000 BC, or as some people like to refer to it "Prehistoric Egypt". It was during this period that a small group of people really did start to make Egypt a home. Growing things like Barley, Emmer, Wheat, and more, all the while constructing large buildings that got more and more advanced as technologies grew. Such as with the arrival of Mortar.
It was along these timelines that the various earliest cultures of Egypt started to show up, all of which is backed up by historical finds made around the region. For example, there was the Amratian Culture, which was the first of the bunch. Then there was the Tasian Culture that lived in "upper Egypt" at around 4500 BC, they were known for a special kind of blacktop pottery that was very distinct.
The Badari (who sometimes are lumped in with the Tasian) were the first culture to exist in what we know as the Stone Age, which means we're getting ever closer to the "Ancient Egypt" that you know.
If you wish to know what the "next step" was in the evolution of Egypt, that would be with the Gerzeh Culture. Why? Because it was through them that the literal foundations of Ancient Egypt was laid. It was then that not only expanded through the region, but fought se
