| Artefact ID | 1149 |
| TM ID | TM 129746 |
| Findspot (DEChriM ID) | - () | Class | Textual |
| Material | Papyrus |
| Writing medium | Sheet/roll |
| Text content | Documentary |
| Language | Greek |
| Description | SB XXVIII 16922: Letter of a deacon Sheet of papyrus preserving most of the body of a letter written by the deacon Ioannes to his "beloved and most pious brother" Apa Horos, "in the Lord". It contains an order for the confection of a small velum (wall-hanging or curtain) for a church (μικρὸν βῆλον [ἐκκ]λησίας), giving measurements (5 cubits by 4,5 cubits) and asking that "a sign of Christ" (σημεῖον Χριστοῦ) be printed (?) on it. Then he sends greetings to all the brothers, asks again that the velum be readily made and sent, and that Horos remembers him in his holy prayers (about this formula, see Martin 2003: 178 for correction). It is likely that Horos was a monk, which would accord well with the textile industry which took place at monasteries (Choat 2017: 42-43, n. 144). As for the velum, it was probably for Ioannes' own church, and the "sign of Christ" (semeion Christou) would represent some kind of cross (Greek, monogrammatic or even ansata) such as those decorating cloth in ID 159, or ID 1048.
Large and elegant uncial influenced by cursive script. Text runs parallel with the fibres, except for an addendum in the left margin of which only a few words are preserved. A Greek cross separates the final greetings from the body of the letter. Use of nomina sacra. Verso: address (no image nor direction of the writing). |
| Selection criteria | Mention of Christian cult officials/institutions, Mention of Christian individuals/communities, Christian terms/formulas/concepts, Christian onomastics, Christian symbols/gestures/isopsephy, Nomina sacra |
| Date from | 375 |
| Date to | 499 |
| Dating criteria | Dated 4/5th c. in the subtitle of ed. pr. and then assigned on palaeographic grounds to 5th c. in the introduction of ed. pr. (Hombert, Préaux 1938: 378); but a date in the end of 4th c. can not be excluded (see also Naldini 1968: 364 and n. 1 keeping a 4/5th c. date). |
| Absolute/relative date | Relative date |
| Archaeological context | Part of a lot purchased by Carl Schmidt, of which most of the documents have a Fayyumic provenance (Hombert, Préaux 1938: 378). |
| Accession number | Brussels, Royal Museums, E 7158 |
ARTEFACT IDENTIFIERS
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