Christianity and monasticism have flourished along the Nile Valley in the Sohag region of Upper Egypt from as early as the fourth century until the present day. The contributors to this volume, international specialists in Coptology from around the world, examine various aspects of Coptic civilization in Upper Egyptian governorate of Sohag over the past seventeen hundred years. Many of the studies center o the person and legacy of the great Coptic saint, Shenoute the Archimandrite (AD 348-466), looking at his preserved writings, his life, his place in Pachomian monasticism, his relations with the patriarchs in Alexandria, and the life in his monastich system. Other studies deal with the art, architecture, and archeology of the two great monasteries that he founded and the archeological and artistic heritage of the region.