How did the Ancient Egyptians build towns & cities (eg Memphis) without them being damaged by the inundation?

Answer 1

The towns and cities were built above the flood-plains of the Nile.

Answer 2

Many cities in the ancient world were deliberately built near variable rivers, so that a water supply could be captured and used for drinking, washing and cooling.

The egyptian civilisation had no electricity for pumping water, refrigeration, or powering machinery. They also had no powered transport for moving food crops to factories, or food to shops.

That meant that they needed plenty of water nearby, especially because the climate in Egypt was very hot and dry. So they built watercourses that would receive the floodwater, and distribute it around the fields (which were close to the town, so that the crops could be turned straight into food, and sold on the spot), and into large ponds and tanks all over the town. some of these were in the courtyards of houses, and they supplied the washing water as well as cooling the house down (and often acted as fishponds to provide some food).

Some of the tanks were underground, so that the water wouldn't evaporate away, and would last until the next flood refilled the irrigation channels, ponds and tanks all over again.

Because the water had somewhere to go, instead of just washing through the place like it does in modern towns, it wouldn't be able to do so much damage.

However, the Nile kept changing its course, so many towns and cities WERE destroyed by the water, or else left almost waterless (not completely dry; drinking water has always been taken from wells, where surface water isn't available).

Answer 3

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Egyptian_architecture
Due to the scarcity of wood, the two predominant building materials used in ancient Egypt were unbaked mud brick and stone. From the Old Kingdom onward, stone was generally reserved for tombs and temples, while bricks were used even for royal palaces, fortresses, the walls of temple precincts and towns, and for subsidiary buildings in temple complexes.

Most ancient Egyptian towns have been lost because they were situated in the cultivated and flooded area of the Nile Valley, although the dry, hot climate of Egypt preserved some mud brick structures. Examples include the village Deir al-Madinah and the fortresses at Buhen and Mirgissa. On the other hand, many temples and tombs have survived because they were built on ground unaffected by the Nile flood and were constructed of stone.

Answer 4

The Nile has changed course over the years, so remember it won't have followed quite the same path it does now as it did 2000 + years ago.
The Egyptians constructed vast networks of irrigation channels to direct the floods to their fields, and away from permanent settlements.

Answer 5

You can see some flooded cities on the source page below.
The nile used to flood seriously every year - leaving a deposit of rich soil for growing crops - cities, temples etc. were built above/away from the flood waters.

Answer 6

Because they were above the flood line