Steeped in Pharaonic traditions and Coptic heritage, Sohag played a pivotal role in the development of Egypt’s cultural and religious identity with a handful of historical sites to show for it. The seldom-visited governorate hugs Upper Egypt’s stretch of the Nile and is located about 470 kilometres from Cairo. From Pharaonic-inspired monasteries and medieval mosques to ancient necropolises and lavishly decorated temples, Sohag is a unique cultural and spiritual experience that encapsulates the diversity of Egyptian heritage.
Athribis (Atribis) has just been in the news for the cache of 13,000 inscribed ostraca discovered there. (There is another Athribis in Lower Egypt, north of Cairo, which makes matters confusing.) For more on the White Monastery, of crucial importance for the transmission of ancient manuscripts in Egypt, see here and links. Last year there was an exhibition on the city of Akhmin (Akhmim) at the Berlin State Museum. Ahkmim was the site of the discovery of an important Greek manuscript containing material from the Book of 1 Enoch, the Gospel of Peter, and the Apocalyse of Peter. For still more on Ahkmim, follow the link
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