ASYUT, capital of a province of the same name in Upper Egypt, and the largest and best-built town in the Nile valley south of Cairo, from which it is distant 248m. by rail. The population rose from 32,00o in 1882 to 57,136 in 1927. Asyut stands near the west bank of the Nile across which, just below the town, is a barrage, completed in 1902, consisting of an open weir, 2,691 f t. long and III bays or sluices, each I 6l f t. wide, which can be opened or closed at will. At the western end of the barrage. begins the Ibrahimia canal, nearly 2oom. long, which supplies Middle Egypt and the Fayfim. The canal is skirted by a magni ficent embankment, planted with shade trees, leading from the river to, the town.
The town is famous for red and black pottery and for orna mental wood and ivory work, which find a ready market all over Egypt. It is one of the chief centres of the Copts. Here also is the northern terminus of the caravan route across the desert, which, passing through the Kharga oasis, goes south-west to Darfur. Asyut is the successor of the ancient Lycopolis (Eg. Sioout), capital of the 17th nome of Upper Egypt, and probably so called from the worship here of the jackal-headed Anubis. No ruins are visible, the mounds of the old city being for the most part hidden under modern buildings; but the slopes of the limestone hills behind it are pierced with an infinity of rock-cut tombs, some of which were large and decorated with sculptures, paintings and long inscriptions.