Francis Llewellyn Griffith

“ In remote prehistoric times the Fayum depression was probably dry, but with the gradual rise of the river bed the high Nile reached a level at which it could enter through the natural or artificial channel now known as the Bahr Yusuf. The borders of the lake were occupied by a neolithic people, and the town of Crocodilopolis grew up very early on the eastern slope south of the channel, where the higher ground formed a ridge in the lake. ”

“ The rise continuing (at the rate of about 4 in. to the century) the waters threatened to flood the town; consequently under the XIIth Dynasty great embankments were made to save the settled land from encroachment. ”