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Oxyrhynchus Papyrus (POxy) 352

Christopher Tuckett

in The Gospel of Mary

This chapter presents the English translation of the Oxyrhynchus Papyrus (POxy) 3525 text.

Rylands Papyrus (PRyl) 46

Christopher Tuckett

in The Gospel of Mary

This chapter presents the English translation of the Rylands Papyrus (PRyl) 463 text.

Attestation, Manuscripts, Language, Date

Christopher Tuckett

in The Gospel of Mary

This chapter begins with a brief description of evidence for the existence and text of the Gospel of Mary. The evidence comes from three manuscripts which contain (parts of) text. Prime among these ... More

This chapter begins with a brief description of evidence for the existence and text of the Gospel of Mary. The evidence comes from three manuscripts which contain (parts of) text. Prime among these is the manuscript known as Papyrus Berolinensis (BG) 8502, now housed in the Papyrology section of the Ägyptisches Museum und Papyrussammlung, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin (Egyptian Museum and Papyrology Collection, National Museums of Berlin). This codex contains four works in Coptic translation, with the Gospel of Mary as the first in the codex. This manuscript provides the most extensive witness to the text of the gospel. The texts themselves, the language used, and date for the writing of the gospels are discussed.Less

Manuscripts

Christopher Tuckett

in The Gospel of Mary

This chapter examines the manuscripts containing the text of the Gospel of Mary. The Coptic version of the text of the Gospel of Mary appears as the first work in the Papyrus Berolinensis 8502 codex. ... More

This chapter examines the manuscripts containing the text of the Gospel of Mary. The Coptic version of the text of the Gospel of Mary appears as the first work in the Papyrus Berolinensis 8502 codex. The codex contains 72 sheets, with 141 numbered sides. The manuscript has been dated to the 5th century on palaeographic grounds. It is written in Sahidic in the Subachmimic dialect, and appears to have been copied from a Coptic Vorlage. The POxy 3525 text is a small scrap, measuring 11.5 x 12 cm, written in a cursive hand on one side of the papyrus only. It is broken on all sides and contains in all about 21 lines. The fact that it is broken on all sides means that none of the beginnings or ends of any of the lines are visible. The PRyl 463 manuscript is a small fragment, measuring 8.9 x 9.9 cm, written on both sides (hence probably from a codex) and containing around 16 lines extant on each side. Its provenance is probably Oxyrhynchus. Comparison with the Coptic suggests that some lines at the bottom have not been preserved.Less

Papyrus Berolinensis (BG) 8502

Christopher Tuckett

in The Gospel of Mary

This chapter presents the English translation of Papyrus Berolinensis (BG) 8502 text.

Water Iturech 536 bce

Koenraad Donker van Heel

in Djekhy & Son: Doing Business in Ancient Egypt

The year 536 bce had been a rather hectic business year for Iturech, or at least one that was very well documented in P. Louvre E 7834, 7836, 7838, and 7843. Choachytes needed to collect as many ... More

The year 536 bce had been a rather hectic business year for Iturech, or at least one that was very well documented in P. Louvre E 7834, 7836, 7838, and 7843. Choachytes needed to collect as many mummies as possible.Many mummies meant much work, and much work meant high income. In 536 Iturech had an interest in at least five tombs in the Theban necropolis on the west bank of the Nile.Less

Cattle Djekhy 533 bce

Koenraad Donker van Heel

in Djekhy & Son: Doing Business in Ancient Egypt

Unless new related documents come to light, the reason P. Louvre E 7850 was deposited in the archive will remain a mystery. Many other questions also remain unanswered. If the god's father Djekhy, ... More

Unless new related documents come to light, the reason P. Louvre E 7850 was deposited in the archive will remain a mystery. Many other questions also remain unanswered. If the god's father Djekhy, the addressee, was indeed the son of Iturech, what happened to his father? Why does the archive of Djekhy & Son end with this letter in 533 BCE? Is there any connection with the Persian invasion of 525 BCE? In 526 BCE the forty-four year reign of Amasis had ended.Less

An Ancient Egyptian Physician: The Dawn of Neurology

Stanley Finger

in Minds Behind the Brain: A history of the pioneers and their discoveries

During the Third Dynasty of Egypt's Old Kingdom, there lived a high priest named Imhotep, whose name was surrounded by myths, legends, and a large healing cult. Nevertheless, the earliest known ... More

During the Third Dynasty of Egypt's Old Kingdom, there lived a high priest named Imhotep, whose name was surrounded by myths, legends, and a large healing cult. Nevertheless, the earliest known document in the field of medicine, a papyrus known as the Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus, can trace its roots to the Third Dynasty. Although this papyrus was written approximately one thousand years after Imhotep's death, the cases described in it are believed to have taken place during King Djoser's reign. The papyrus is filled with descriptions of injuries that can be associated with large-scale building projects, such as those Imhotep oversaw in his role as an architect. This chapter traces the history of the Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus and looks at the contributors to the papyrus, its description of the brain, the Egyptians' view of the heart and its channels and their belief in the role of demons in disease, the Ebers Papyrus, and what happens to the brain after death according to the Egyptians.Less

Sigla

Alan H. Sommerstein

in Aristophanes: Ecclesiazusae

This chapter presents the sigla of the manuscripts used for Aristophanes's Ecclesiazusae, such as Π‎60 Michigan Papyrus inv. 6649 (contains 600-614, 638-654) from the 4th or 5th century. It covers R ... More

This chapter presents the sigla of the manuscripts used for Aristophanes's Ecclesiazusae, such as Π‎60 Michigan Papyrus inv. 6649 (contains 600-614, 638-654) from the 4th or 5th century. It covers R Ravennas 429 from the 10 century, Α‎ Parisinus Regius 2712 (contains 1-282) from the 13th or 14th century, and Γ‎ Laurentianus ΧΧΧΙ‎ 15 (contains 1-1135) from the 14th century. It also lists Λ‎ Perusinus Η‎56, Β‎ ?arisinus Regius 2715 (contains 1-1135), and Vbl Vaticanus Barberinianus 145 (contains 1-1135; a copy of Γ‎) from the 15th century. The chapter records Ald. the Aldine editio princeps (Venice, 1498) and codd. = RA ΓΛ‎ (in 1-282); R ΓΛ‎ (in 283-1135); RA (in 1136-end). It enumerates other symbols, such as γρ‎ as reading noted in ms. or scholia as a variant, i as implied by or inferable from, and ac as before correction.Less

Royal Psalms: Locating Judah and Israel's Early Pro-Royal Literature

David M. Carr

in The Formation of the Hebrew Bible: A New Reconstruction

This chapter examines royal psalms in the Hebrew Bible for possible remnants of 10th or 9th century Judean and Israelite literature. In the process portions of Psalm 2, 21, 45, 89 (89:20-38 [ET ... More

This chapter examines royal psalms in the Hebrew Bible for possible remnants of 10th or 9th century Judean and Israelite literature. In the process portions of Psalm 2, 21, 45, 89 (89:20-38 [ET 89:19-37]//4QPsx); 72; 110 and 2 Sam 23:1-7 are identified as particularly likely to date from the early pre-exilic period. In addition, the chapter considers the particular problems in locating pre-exilic material in several other royal poems, such as Psalms 18 (//2 Samuel 22), 20 (//Papyrus Amherst 63 12,11-19), 132; and 144.Less

Note on the Text

Alan H. Sommerstein

in Aristophanes: Ecclesiazusae

This chapter provides the notes on Aristophanes's play Ecclesiazusae (The Assemblywomen), describing its textual tradition as almost as meagre as that of Lysistrata. Michigan Papyrus 6649 was ... More

This chapter provides the notes on Aristophanes's play Ecclesiazusae (The Assemblywomen), describing its textual tradition as almost as meagre as that of Lysistrata. Michigan Papyrus 6649 was published in 1981 and was the first papyrus to be identified as coming from the Ecclesiazusae. The papyrus contains portions of 32 lines from the agon, confirming a conjecture of Bentley's at 652. Everything in Β‎ can be accounted for either as derived from Γ‎ as error or as conjecture. Β‎ is not a direct copy of Γ‎ since it emends to fill a lacuna when the text of Γ‎ is not defective. The intermediate copy was much more carelessly made in the second half of the play than in the first as errors are present in Β‎ and absent in Γ‎.Less

Semites in Egypt: The First and Second Intermediate Periods

James K. Hoffmeier

in Israel in Egypt: The Evidence for the Authenticity of the Exodus Tradition

This chapter examines the main points of the story line described in Genesis and Exodus to see if they are plausible within the limits of present knowledge of ancient Egypt. It explores what became ... More

This chapter examines the main points of the story line described in Genesis and Exodus to see if they are plausible within the limits of present knowledge of ancient Egypt. It explores what became of the Semites who entered Egypt during the First and Second Intermediate Periods. The fate of these peoples during this period is not altogether clear. Certainly there is no evidence of any organized effort to rid Egypt of these people, such as that at the end of the Hyksos period. Since many were pastoral nomads, some may have returned to the Levant, though it appears that a significant portion stayed on and assimilated into Egyptian culture. There is ample documentation during the Middle Kingdom of a significant Semitic-speaking population in Egypt. An oft-cited document that provides information on Semites in Egypt during the late Middle Kingdom is Papyrus Brooklyn 35.1446.Less

Summary

Annette Imhausen

in Mathematics in Ancient Egypt: A Contextual History

This chapter summarizes key discussions in chapters 9 to 15. The New Kingdom offers a variety of sources that provide insights into the uses and roles of mathematics at that time. As in previous ... More

This chapter summarizes key discussions in chapters 9 to 15. The New Kingdom offers a variety of sources that provide insights into the uses and roles of mathematics at that time. As in previous periods, mathematics and the scribes who practiced it expertly continue to play a vital role in the administration. In order to illustrate the type and style of available sources, extracts of Papyrus Harris I and the Wilbour Papyrus have been used, both of which are as interesting as they are complex in terms of their usage of mathematical techniques and concepts. However, apart from these two outstanding papyri, it is the large number of smaller accounts written on papyri and ostraca that clearly documents the ongoing significance of administrative mathematics during the New Kingdom.Less

Wate Djekhy 559 BCE

Koenraad Donker van Heel

in Djekhy & Son: Doing Business in Ancient Egypt

Water was essential in these funerary cults. In the Old Kingdom (2575–2134 BCE) people passing the tombs in the necropolis were called upon by the deceased themselves: “You, who are still living on ... More

Water was essential in these funerary cults. In the Old Kingdom (2575–2134 BCE) people passing the tombs in the necropolis were called upon by the deceased themselves: “You, who are still living on earth and are passing this grave, pour some water for me!” The choachyte (‘water-pourer’) Djekhy son of Tesmontu was part of an ancient Egyptian tradition. The importance of water in Egypt was well known. A low Nile meant starvation. When Djekhy brought his libations—and no doubt beer, bread, and other foodstuffs as well—to the dead in the Theban necropolis this tradition had already spanned thousands of years.Less

Flax Djekhy 556–552 bce

Koenraad Donker van Heel

in Djekhy & Son: Doing Business in Ancient Egypt

Apart from the early papyri written between c. 675 and 572 BCE, the archive of Djekhy & Son also contains other documents seemingly unconnected with either Djekhy or Iturech. They cannot have ended ... More

Apart from the early papyri written between c. 675 and 572 BCE, the archive of Djekhy & Son also contains other documents seemingly unconnected with either Djekhy or Iturech. They cannot have ended up in the archive by chance. Many are closely linked in various ways, dealing with agricultural enterprises sometimes involving choachytes; like the papers of Djekhy & Son, they were written in the middle of the sixth century; and they all come from Thebes.Less

Grain Iturech 550–536 bce

Koenraad Donker van Heel

in Djekhy & Son: Doing Business in Ancient Egypt

Djekhy's son Iturech had taken over Djekhy & Son and had become the new owner of the archive. On the basis of what we know from other sources, it is likely that Iturech was regularly involved in the ... More

Djekhy's son Iturech had taken over Djekhy & Son and had become the new owner of the archive. On the basis of what we know from other sources, it is likely that Iturech was regularly involved in the family business from his tenth birthday onward. Documents like P. Louvre E 7861 and 7848—both dealing with Djekhy's business quarrels—would have been useful tools for Djekhy to teach his son how to navigate the ancient Egyptian business world.We know from their business dealings that both men were skilled at accounting. We do not know, however, whether either Djekhy or Iturech could write. Literacy rates were very low in ancient Egypt.Less

Trust Iturech 542–535 bce

Koenraad Donker van Heel

in Djekhy & Son: Doing Business in Ancient Egypt

The Theban choachytes were all members of a local association. P. Louvre E 7840 is the oldest evidence that such associations existed. There also exist later demotic papyri dealing with similar ... More

The Theban choachytes were all members of a local association. P. Louvre E 7840 is the oldest evidence that such associations existed. There also exist later demotic papyri dealing with similar clubs, among which one of the most famous is P. Berlin 3115, written between 109 and 106BCE to record important decisions made by the Theban choachytes in the second century BCE.Less

People Iturech 539 bce

Koenraad Donker van Heel

in Djekhy & Son: Doing Business in Ancient Egypt

One day in the spring of 539 bce—between 6 March and 5 April—Iturech and a man called Hor son of Petiese and Mrs. Tayuau met, probably at the office of the scribe Nehemsukhonsu, along with eleven ... More

One day in the spring of 539 bce—between 6 March and 5 April—Iturech and a man called Hor son of Petiese and Mrs. Tayuau met, probably at the office of the scribe Nehemsukhonsu, along with eleven witnesses.The scribe Nehemsukhonsu (‘Khonsu has saved him’) is otherwise unknown. Egyptian scribes often added their title to their signature, but he did not. It is a shame, because a title often indicates whether someone worked for a specific temple or government office. Iturech, one of the stakeholders, signed the document in person. It was a special day for him: on this day Iturech bought Hor to be his son.Less