| Artefact ID | 1074 |
| TM ID | 31473 |
| Findspot (DEChriM ID) | - () | Class | Textual |
| Material | Papyrus |
| Writing medium | Sheet/roll |
| Text content | Documentary |
| Language | Greek |
| Description | Manichaean (proposed) private letter. Documentary letter on papyrus from Besas to his mother Maria, with a greeting ‘in God’ followed by a prayer, and a request for a cloak for the Pascha festival. Initially dated to c. 200 by H. I. Bell and considered one of the earliest Christian letters. Identified as Manichaean by Gardner, Nobbs, and Choat in 2000 and redated to the early fourth century. The Manichaean identification was made on the basis of stylistic elements in the proem that parallel the letters of the Manichaean community in Kellis: specifically, the prayer addressed to the ‘God of Truth’ (θεῶι τῆς ἀληθείας) and the ‘Paraclete spirit’ (παρακλήτῳ πνεύματι) for protection in soul, body and spirit, associated with joy, health, and eternal life, respectively. |
| Selection criteria | - |
| Date from | 300 |
| Date to | 325 |
| Dating criteria | Palaeography, contents |
| Absolute/relative date | Relative date |
| Archaeological context | - |
| Accession number | Birmingham, Cadbury Research Library P.Harris 107 |
ARTEFACT IDENTIFIERS
Json data
