The Sahara. Millions of square kilometres of scorched desert and yet here flows a mighty river. Since the dawn of history this river has performed miracles. Every year, the waters of the Nile rose and transformed the desert. This annual flood created a fertile paradise. Protected from the barren desert beyond, people built their lives on the promise of this flood. Nature's miracle built a great civilisation, Ancient Egypt. Fuelled by the Nile, Egyptian society prospered. But in truth their world was balanced on a knife edge. One year, their abundant crops might attract plagues of biblical proportions. While the next year they might face drought and famine. The Nile held them hostage. Beyond their fields lay the desert, life and death in stark contrast. The pharaoh had to maintain the balance of their world, appeasing their gods and ensuring the gift of the Nile. They struggled to understand their world, hoping to tame its dark forces. If they failed they faced catastrophe.


撒哈拉沙漠。广达几百万平方公里的炙热大沙漠却流着一条雄伟的大河。历史揭开序幕之初，这条大河就已经展现了奇迹。每年尼罗河水位都会上涨，改变沙漠的风貌，一年一度的洪水创造了丰沃的天堂。人们在这里靠每年必来的洪水维生，从而不受荒僻沙漠的侵害。自然奇迹创造了波澜壮阔的文明——古埃及。在尼罗河的滋养下，埃及社会繁华昌盛。而事实上，他们的世界处于祸福难测的平衡中。每年丰收的农作物都可能引来毁灭性的灾难，翌年则有可能要面对干旱和饥荒。尼罗河主宰他们的生死。农田之外就是沙漠，生死枯荣形成强烈对比。法老王必须要维系世界的平衡稳定，取悦他们的神以获得尼罗河的恩赐。他们奋力去了解自己的世界，期盼驯服它的黑暗力量。如果失败，就要面对重大灾难。