History Ships of the desert
A dromedary can go for days without drinking, walks easily on soft sand with its wide feet, and can carry heavy loads across the desert. Its hump is a store of fat, not water.
History A late arrival
Egyptian texts hardly mention camels before the first millennium BC. They became common only in Greek and Roman times, when camel caravans linked the Nile with ports on the Red Sea. For thousands of years before that, the donkey was Egypt's pack animal: donkeys carried grain, water and goods, and some of the earliest known tame donkeys were buried at Abydos around 3000 BC.
History Built for the desert
A camel can squeeze its nostrils shut against blowing sand, and heavy eyelashes protect its eyes. After a long trip without water, a thirsty camel can drink more than 100 liters in about ten minutes.
Art In this artwork
The illustration shows a camel with a rider, colorful saddle blankets and bags. A camel would have been a rare sight in the Egypt of the pharaohs; the artist added one for desert journeys.
Look closer
- Find the saddle bags.
- Look at the camel's feet. Why might they be so wide?
Think about it
- Why would camels make desert travel easier?
- How did people manage before they had camels?
- Which animals help people where you live?
Key words
- Dromedary
- A camel with one hump.
- Caravan
- A group of travelers and animals journeying together.
- Pack animal
- An animal that carries loads.
Sources
The history on this page is a short summary based on these sources:
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, "Camel" and "Dromedary"
- Martin Heide and Joaquín Peters, Camels in the Biblical World (2021)
- Ian Shaw (editor), The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt (2000)
