Crecida del Nilo

Crecida o inundación del Nilo (Hi Hapi o Bahu en egipcio antiguo, en árabe: عيد وفاء النيل‎ Wafaa El-Nil) es un acontecimiento cíclico natural que ocurrió a lo largo de la historia en el río Nilo, permitiendo el surgimiento y desarrollo en su valle (Alto Egipto) y su delta (Bajo Egipto) de una de las primeras civilizaciones (la del Antiguo Egipto) sobre un territorio que de otra forma sería desértico e improductivo, por ausencia de lluvias significativas (el desheret o tierra roja), gracias a las aportaciones que se repetían año tras año de agua y suelo fértil (el kemet o "tierra negra" -los aluviones de fango o limo-).^[2] La capacidad de predecir la inundación y coordinar los extensos trabajos colectivos vinculados a ella, justificó la existencia de las estructuras e instituciones religiosas, políticas y sociales del Imperio egipcio (destacadamente, el faraón y los sacerdotes). Las alteraciones de la crecida, tanto por exceso como por defecto, causaban graves problemas (hambrunas, destrucción de diques, canales y poblaciones, etc.) Desde la segunda mitad del siglo XX, la construcción de la presa de Asuán regula su caudal, impidiendo que las aguas del Nilo desborden su cauce.^[3]

↑ Danish Royal Library, fuente citada en Voyage d'Egypte et de Nubie
↑ La propia etimología de la palabra "Egipto" parece provenir de esta tierra negra, que compartiría con las palabras "alquimia" y "química" (Online Etymology Dictionary.

Egypt - Old English Egipte "the Egyptians," from French Egypte, from Greek Aigyptos "the river Nile, Egypt," from Amarna Hikuptah, corresponding to Egyptian Ha(t)-ka-ptah "temple of the soul of Ptah," the creative god associated with Memphis, the ancient city of Egypt. Strictly one of the names of Memphis, it was taken by the Greeks as the name of the whole country. The Egyptian name, Kemet, means "black country," possibly in reference to the rich delta soil. The Arabic is Misr, which is derived from Mizraim, the name of a son of Biblical Ham.

alchemy (n.) - "medieval chemistry; the supposed science of transmutation of base metals into silver or gold" (involving also the quest for the universal solvent, quintessence, etc.), mid-14c., from Old French alchimie (14c.), alquemie (13c.), from Medieval Latin alkimia, from Arabic al-kimiya, from Greek khemeioa (found c.300 C.E. in a decree of Diocletian against "the old writings of the Egyptians"), all meaning "alchemy," and of uncertain origin. Perhaps from an old name for Egypt (Khemia, literally "land of black earth," found in Plutarch), or from Greek khymatos "that which is poured out," from khein "to pour," from PIE root *gheu- "to pour" [Watkins, but Klein, citing W. Muss-Arnolt, calls this folk etymology]. The word seems to have elements of both origins.
↑ National Geographic

[1] Danish Royal Library, fuente citada en Voyage d'Egypte et de Nubie

[2] La propia etimología de la palabra "Egipto" parece provenir de esta tierra negra, que compartiría con las palabras "alquimia" y "química" (Online Etymology Dictionary.

Egypt - Old English Egipte "the Egyptians," from French Egypte, from Greek Aigyptos "the river Nile, Egypt," from Amarna Hikuptah, corresponding to Egyptian Ha(t)-ka-ptah "temple of the soul of Ptah," the creative god associated with Memphis, the ancient city of Egypt. Strictly one of the names of Memphis, it was taken by the Greeks as the name of the whole country. The Egyptian name, Kemet, means "black country," possibly in reference to the rich delta soil. The Arabic is Misr, which is derived from Mizraim, the name of a son of Biblical Ham.

alchemy (n.) - "medieval chemistry; the supposed science of transmutation of base metals into silver or gold" (involving also the quest for the universal solvent, quintessence, etc.), mid-14c., from Old French alchimie (14c.), alquemie (13c.), from Medieval Latin alkimia, from Arabic al-kimiya, from Greek khemeioa (found c.300 C.E. in a decree of Diocletian against "the old writings of the Egyptians"), all meaning "alchemy," and of uncertain origin. Perhaps from an old name for Egypt (Khemia, literally "land of black earth," found in Plutarch), or from Greek khymatos "that which is poured out," from khein "to pour," from PIE root *gheu- "to pour" [Watkins, but Klein, citing W. Muss-Arnolt, calls this folk etymology]. The word seems to have elements of both origins.

[3] National Geographic

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