During much of Egyptian history, the Sinai was a part of Egypt, but the Egyptians were really only interested in specific places in the Sinai for mining purposes. However, even though this land was under Egyptian control, just as in the case of Nubia, Egypt proper was still mostly thought of as ending somewhere along the division between Africa and the Sinai Peninsula, even though Egypt had control of the Sinai through much of its history, as it does today. To the east, the ancient map of Egypt once took in a considerable amount of land, particularly during the New Kingdom, including a stretch along the Mediterranean Sea through present day Israel and up into Syria. To the west, the borders were always somewhat indistinct, as there was not much to control other than sand, but for much of ancient Egypt's history, most of the current Oasis regions were considered a part of Egypt, though they may have enjoyed considerable independence due to their isolation. Today, the map of Egypt includes the upper part of what was once Nubia, while Southern Nubia is a part of the Sudan. For example, in ancient times, Aswan in southern Egypt was typically thought of as the southern boundary of Egypt proper, even when Egypt controlled much of Nubia further south. Today, the map of Egypt does not cover as much land as it did during the Empire period of the New Kingdom, or even during the height of the Middle Kingdom, but it does take in more land than during some periods of Egyptian history.

Today, Egyptians are well aware of the difference between the Nile Valley and the deserts, though the terms Black Land and Red Land are no longer used to denote them. On the other hand, the Nile Valley was referred to as the Black Land, which provided the ancient name of Egypt, Kemet. The Red Land was the inhospitable desert to either side of the Nile Valley, which to some degree was a mysterious land to those living in the Nile Valley, subject to chaos. For example, in the US, a distinction is often made between the north and south.Ī second way that the Egyptians divided up their ancient map of Egypt was between the desert lands and the fertile Nile Valley. If one thinks about this, it is not uncommon in other countries. Even today, Egyptians make a distinction between Lower and Upper Egypt, though they also frequently refer to Middle Egypt as a region between the north and south. However, this tradition did not completely die out during ancient times. Throughout Egyptian history, each was represented by different crowns that could be combined into one, by different plants, the lotus and papyrus, and a tendency towards different gods. Then, around 3100 BC, the country was unified, but the Egyptians continued to think of their country as consisting of these two major sections. I look forward to hearing from you.Geographically, the ancient Map of Egypt was divided between north and south, known as Lower and Upper Egypt respectively, and prior to the 1st Dynasty, these two regions were politically separate. As a map-maker, I have a natural tendency to pay attention to detail and also to work hard to ensure that I am being as accurate as I can in the work that I produce.įor more information on how Merritt Cartographic can best assist you with your project, please send me a message or make contact via the information displayed above and throughout the site. I enjoy being creative in my work and like to explore new approaches. I've also created maps for a wide range of other companies and charities, including the Royal Horticultural Society, Smithsonian Institution, Best Western, The Greenbrier Companies, Fastmarkets, Bright Horizons and Cycling UK. My work has been included in books published by Dorling Kindersley, National Geographic, Pearson, Penguin Books, Oxford University Press, Taschen, Laurence King Publishing, Millennium House and Weldon Owen. As a freelance cartographer, I have produced custom maps and graphics for a wide range of publishers, charities, media organisations and businesses. I also produce interactive maps for deployment on websites and in applications as well as products for use on public display panels and signposts. Having worked in the past for a large publishing company in central London, much of my current work is commissioned for inclusion in reference books. I am a graduate of Oxford Brookes University, receiving an honours degree in Mapping and Cartography. I established Merritt Cartographic in 2006. I am a cartographer based in Southampton (UK).

Map of papyrus ancient egypt