Ancient Egyptian Technology: The Nilometer

"In ancient Egypt, the behavior of the Nile could mean life or death each harvest season. Egyptians invented an instrument to measure the waters in order to predict the Nile’s behavior: the nilometer."
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This measurement system is composed of a tall column housed in a submerged stone structure called a stilling well. One of these nilometers can be seen on Rhoda Island in Cairo, an octagonal marble column held in place by a wooden beam at the top that spans the width of the well. The stilling well included a staircase so that priests, who were in charge of monitoring the nilometers, could walk down and examine the column.
Nilometers were used for measuring water levels as early as 5,000 years ago. The nilometer on Rhoda Island dates back to 861 AD, when it was built where an older nilometer had been, based on a design by Afraganus, a famous astronomer. The massive measuring stick had markings on it to indicate where the water level was at any given time, information the priests would use to determine what conditions the future held: drought, which would mean famine; desirable, which would mean just enough overflow to leave good soil for farming; or flood, which could be catastrophic.
Only priests and rulers, whether pharaohs or later, Roman or Arab leaders, were allowed to monitor the nilometers, and their ability to predict the behavior of the Nile was used to impress the common people. (And to determine how much money would be collected in taxes.) This is why so many nilometers were built in temples, where only priests would be able to access the mysterious instrument." - Atlas Obscura www.atlasobscu...

[@Osa_10mo]

I really hope you visit Aswan. Aswan is a popular travel destination with plenty of attractions for visitors. You will really like it. Good luck man!❤

[@cardsnumbersyou]

The Aswan Dam has negatively impacted the ecosystem around the Nile unfortunately. What a marvelous construction this building is to measure water levels, I appreciate the architectural details from different periods, such as the Ptolemaic and later Roman heritage. Thank you so much for this informative video 🙏🏼 #TheMoreYouKnow ❤

[@ShayistaManzoorAlig]

it was erected by Al farghani who was an astronomer under Abbasid Caliph al Mutawakkil