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The question of Lake Moeris has interested the world for centuries. 
For the ancients it was one of the world’s seven wonders. Sir Hanbury 
Brown, in his book on the “ Fayoum and Lake Moeris, ” has collected 
all the information available about the lake, and after a thorough 
examination of the question has declared in favour of the Wady Bayan 
being converted into a modern Lake Moeris. 
Herodotus, writing about B.C. 450, was the first to describe the 
lake: “Now the Labyrinth being such as I have described, the lake 
named that of Moeris, causes still greater astonishment, on the bank 
of which the Labyrinth was built. 
“The water in the lake is not derived from local sources, for the 
earth in that part is excessively dry and waterless, but it is brought 
in from the Nile by a canal. It takes six months filling and six months 
flowing back. During the six months of the return flow, it yields a 
talent of silver every day to the treasury, and during the flow twenty 
minse for the fish. ” 
Strabo, writing in B. C. 20, remarks : “ It has also a remarkable lake 
called the Lake of Moeris, large enough to be called a sea, and re- 
sembling the open sea in colour. 
“ Th us the Lake of Moeris is, from its size and depth, capable of 
receiving the overflow of the Nile at its rising, and preventing the 
flooding of houses and gardens ; when the river falls, the lake again 
discharges the water by a canal at both mouths, and it is available for 
irrigation. There are regulators at both ends for controlling the inflow 
and outflow. ” 
Diodorus Siculus, writing at the same time, says : “King Moeris 
dug a lake which is amazingly useful and incredibly large. For as 
the rising of the Nile is irregular, and the fertility of the country 
depends on its uniformity, he dug the lake for the reception of the 
superfluous water, and he constructed a canal from the river to the lake 
80 furlongs in length and 300 feet in breadth. Through this he admit- 
ted or let out the water as required.” 
At one time there was much discussion as to what was Lake 
Moeris, but since the publication of Sir Hanbury’s book there can be 
but one opinion. The lake covered the whole of the modern Fayoum 
below the level of the contour which is 22J metres above mean sea 
level. The common Nile shells are to be met in myriads at any point 
on this contour round the Fayoum that one cares to look for them. 
The ordinary high flood level of Kushesha basin to-day is 26 \ metres 
