Found the cause of the death of Egyptian settlements in the III century AD
Scientists from the University of Basel (Switzerland) have established the cause of the death of ancient Egyptian settlements. The cataclysm that they investigated happened after our era, when Egypt became a Roman province, Studies in Late Antiquity reports .
The Fayum oasis area, about 130 kilometers southwest of Cairo, was considered the “grain chamber” of the Roman Empire. But at the end of the 3rd century AD, his villages were abandoned, and the inhabitants left these lands.
A new study showed that during this period, the monsoon rains at the source of the Nile began to abruptly decrease. As a result, the water level in the river has dropped, and this has a detrimental effect on agriculture.
Scientists noted that the eruption of a tropical volcano in 266 AD may have played a role. He threw a huge amount of particles into the stratosphere, which led to a cooling and a change in the entire monsoon system in Africa.
Historical chronicles say that local residents started having problems with irrigating their fields. They tried to adapt to the drought and invent new ways of farming, for example, instead of growing grain, they were engaged in winemaking and raising sheep. Many turned to the Roman government for benefits. But this only delayed the decline of Egypt by several decades. Ultimately, residents were forced to migrate to other lands.
Previously, scientists have found the cause of the death of the ancient Mayan city. She became associated with poisonous water.
