FAYUM, or FAYOUM, The (Egypt. Phiom, "marsh-land”, province of Egypt, consisting of a nearly circular basin or oasis, 670 square miles in area, sunk beneath the level of the Libyan Desert, about half a degree south of Cairo, and connected with the Nile Valley by a narrow pass, through which an ancient canal flows. This canal is the Bahr Yfisuf, or "Joseph's so named after Saladin, who restored an original construction of the Theban Pharaohs, which pours the fertil izing water which renders the Fayyum one of the most productive parts of Egypt. The irri gation was anciently regulated by a large reservoir, called Lake Mccris, described by the Greeks as a work of extraordinary hydraulic ingenuity, and the overflow now forms the large sheet of brackish water, 35 miles long, known as the Birket-el-Karn, which marks the eastern boundary of the oasis. The site was identified by Linant near the modern capital Medinet-el Fayritn, though other sites have been suggested by Cope, Whitehouse and others. On the banks of Lake Morris was the famous Labyrinth, prob ably built by Amenhemhat III, and reckoned one of the wonders of the world. The remains of this vast palace are seen in the ruins of numerous chambers near the brick pyramid of Hawara. The capital of the Fayyiim was Croco
dilopolis, afterward named Arsinoe, after the queen of Ptolemy Philadelphus, near the site of which is the modern chief town Medinet-el Fayyam. Fidimin is a picturesque village in the Fayyum. Recent explorations by Petrie and others have revealed more interesting remains of antiquity in the province than had formerly been suspected. The Fayyfan abounds in fruit, oranges, peaches, pomegranates, olives, figs. grapes, etc., and is famous for roses and other flowers. The inhabitants are chiefly agricul turists and fishermen. The construction of the Assuan Dam has immensely increased the pro ductivity of part of this region, three crops being raised in 20 months. The chief prod ucts are cotton and cereals, other crops being rice, sugar, flax and hemp. Pop. 441,583. Consult for an account of excavations in the Labyrinth the ruins at Hawara, etc., Flinders Petrie, 'Hawara and Arsinoe" Brown, 'The Fayyiim and Lake Meeris> (1893) • Willcocks, 'The Assuan Reservoir and Lake Mceris> (1904) Beadnell, The Topography and Ge ology of the Fayum Province of Egypt' (1905).