| Description | P. Heid. Gr. 7 407; P. Heid. Gr. 7 406: Letter from Jonas to Dorotheos (?); List of clothes
This near-complete sheet (~19 x 29.7 cm) missing the first 3-4 lines contains the correspondence from a priest Jonas to another (the address on the verso reads: Τῷ εὐλαβεστάτῳ ἀδελφῷ […]ρωθέῳ πρεσβ[υτέρω] Ἰωνᾶς πρεσβ[ύτερος]).
Following an unusual expression of gratitude to God (τῷ πανελεήμονι θεῷ, line 4) for working against τὸν διάβολον (a word rarely attested in the papyri), Jonas thanks the addressee, σή ἁγιότης (line 6), for the received offerings (εὐλογία) for upcoming festivities, and notes that he has sent along a number of different breads, which he lists in detail. The letter’s closing (line 15-17) is written by a different, less learned hand, implying Jonas had someone else write the letter for him, and then signed it off himself.
Following its task as a letter, the sheet had been reused for a two-column list of clothes (P. Heid. Gr. 7 406) dated to 2 Pachon, titled λόγος ἱματίων, underneath the letter on the recto and continuing on the verso. Declared as being the possession of Dorotheos (ὧν ἔχι Δωρώθεος, line 1), this has been taken as an indicator for the original letter addressee’s name to have been Dorotheos. Perhaps he was also just one of the other recipients mentioned in Jonas’ greeting. The list includes a number of clothing items and textiles (e.g., στιχάριον, μαφόριον, κερβικάριον, στρῶμα). Lines 20-22 mention a Hierax, a Tomelios and a Hieraklion, suggesting the listed objects were not all owned by Dorotheos, but perhaps intended to be delivered to customers. The ed.pr. mentions the possibility that the context may be that of a weaver’s workshop in a monastery. |
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