An Egyptian scientist, Fekri Hassan from University College London, has put forth clear evidence that a sudden global climate change caused the complete drying up of Lake Faiyum—--a major body of water which was fed by the Nile and is 65 metres deep--between 2200 and 2150 BC, around the start of the Old Kingdom's collapse. The evaporation of the lake's water, which occurred over a period of many years, hints at the severity of the drought which affected Egypt during this time.
A scholar from University College London, Fekri Hassan, an Egyptian scientist, has provided conclusive evidence that a sudden and global climatic shift resulted in the complete disappearance of Lake Faiyum—--a substantial water source fed by the Nile River and approximately 65 metres deep--between 2200 and 2150 BC, coinciding with the beginning of the Old Kingdom's downfall. The prolonged evaporation of the lake's waters implies the magnitude of the drought that plagued Egypt during this era.