The Fayoum

The Fayoum, a large and fertile depression in Egypt's Western Desert, some 90 kilometres southwest of Cairo, is a region both rich in history and natural beauty. Its historical legacy includes temples, pyramids, and towns from the Middle Kingdom and the Ptolemaic Period, as well as churches, monasteries and mosques from later times. In this history and guide, Neil Hewison outlines the history (and prehistory) of the Fayoum and its lakes, describes the agriculture and rural life of the region, then guides the visitor around the province site by site, taking various detours along the way.