SOHAG. — A locality in Middle Egypt, near which stand, still fairly well preserved in their essential parts, the two most important monuments of Christian architecture in the Nile valley: they are known by the names of the White Monastery (Dair al-Abiad) and the Red Monastery (Dair al-Ahmar) from their colour, the former being built of limestone blocks and the latter mainly of baked bricks. The first is connected with the great monk Shenoute, for whom it was built, the second with his follower Besa (Bišāi).
The White Monastery was built at the expense of a Count Caesarius, son of Candidianus, hence a high Byzantine official, a detail which has its value for the historical evaluation of the monument: the inscription which has preserved the founder’s name bears no date, nor is this count mentioned in any historical documents, apart from two fleeting references in letters of Shenoute. As for other data, however, it may be considered that the foundation of the church took place around 440. The many texts relating to Shenoute and his monastery which are still extant give no historical indication. One must go down to the 12th century to learn anything about the building, apart from the fact that it was restored after the 4th century. The central square of the sanctuary was originally covered by a pyramidal wooden roof: all the domes now seen in both churches are due to restorations or rebuildings of the 12th or 13th century. The sanctuary is surrounded by secondary rooms, one of which, very long and apsidal (a chapter hall?), occupies almost the entire southern side of the church.
The decoration of the two churches is very rich; the capitals continue the type of late Syrian and Byzantine Hellenism, and the tympanums in the framing of the niches repeat those of the many sculptures of the 2nd–4th centuries discovered at Ahnas. The paintings are all recent (11th–13th centuries).
