WI: Yellow Nile Survives

[Dorozhand]

The Yellow Nile was a former tributary of the Nile River which flowed from the Wadai Highlands of Chad through the Sudan. What if it had survived the dessication of the Sahara and remained a major river with a steady course? What could have been the consequences on human civilization?

 

[GdwnsnHo]

Apart from the problem of HOW it survived (something to encourage rainfall I'd assume) - Honestly I'd imagine either

a) A goodly number of Nubia-density civilisations?

b) More humans within the Sahara (and perhaps less desertification)

Though I'm having great difficulty finding any information/maps beyond that of Wadi Howar.

Have any resources you can direct me to? The idea is really interesting.

 

[Fairdowner]

A stronger Nubian society would have interesting effects on history.

Just add water?

 

[Maur]

Aside from how it would happen, if the river is navigable (no Sudd-like obstacle), the increased contact between Egypt and central Africa (well, north-central-central... middle Sahel, anyway :d) should prove interesting.

 

[Scorpius72]

Aside from how it would happen, if the river is navigable (no Sudd-like obstacle), the increased contact between Egypt and central Africa (well, north-central-central... middle Sahel, anyway :d) should prove interesting.

What would lead to the ancient Egyptian civilisation and its religion spreading throughout Africa which would have a profound impact on world-history.

 

[Maur]

What would lead to the ancient Egyptian civilisation and its religion spreading throughout Africa which would have a profound impact on world-history.

The same how Egyptian civilization spread to Nubia, Kush, Ethiopia and Anatolia?

No, i would think it would influence people living there, not spread. Egyptian civilization was remarkably stable and non expansionist. That said i agree with the impact, influencing this area would likely impact the west Africa and Bantu homeland, both of which have profound importance in Africa history.

 

[Scorpius72]

The ancient Egyptian religion itself would probably have spread beyond Meroe and Axum.

 

[GdwnsnHo]

In order to really have this happen I imagine you'd want some sort of geologic PoD which exposed the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer - some sort of earthquake to bring the water to the surface could create a lake (or two, depending on location) - which in itself could have a great impact if the aquifer can manage to maintain itself.

Another factor to consider is how difficult it was to get past the cataracts in Egypt and Nubia, I don't see a drastic expansion of Egyptian civilisation or religion up the yellow river - not unless the added water flow makes the 1st-3rd cataracts easier to traverse. That increased water flow could also have drastic impacts on regions like faiyum/fayyum, and potentially (at a push) the quattara depression.

In addition, we could see trade caravans appear between the Yellow Nile, Lake Chad area, and even West Africa.

Almost without a doubt, we'd see a stronger sub-saharan africa, and potentially a smaller sahara desert.

 

[Dirk]

The ancient Egyptian religion itself would probably have spread beyond Meroe and Axum.

Nah, I don't think so. Ancient Egypt's religion was quite unique to Egypt itself. The motif of strife, death, destruction, rebirth, and renewal wasn't unique to Egypt alone, but the intensity and importance of it was; also, the Nile features prominently in anything Egyptian. This is why Egypt's religion didn't spread away from the Nile, whereas Hellenism and Judaism were much better candidates for spread.