Artefact ID | 721 |
TM ID | TM 64378 |
Findspot (DEChriM ID) | 30 (al-Ašmūnayn) | Class | Textual |
Material | Papyrus |
Writing medium | Sheet/roll |
Text content | Documentary, Subliterary, Uncertain |
Language | Greek |
Description | AfP 32 (1986): 26-27 Papyrus fragment possibly containing a Christian letter. The letter measures 21,3 x 13,5 cm, and preserves 27 lines of text. It is written on the verso of a documentary text, which is not described in the ed. pr. The ed. pr. describes the hand as a somewhat irregular, right leaning bookhand, with no apparent punctuation or diacritical aids. The nature of the content of the letter is unclear, but the nomen sacrum in l. 23 indicates a Christian context. The ed. pr. mentions the name of Bardaisianos (l. 23-24) as evokative of the theologian and poet Bardesames (Syr. Bardaisan) of Edessa (154-222 AD), but the assosiation is presented as speculative. The letter appears to concentrate on issues concerning liguistical ability and translation (see esp. l. 6, 11 and 12). The ed. pr. finally adds that πληροφόρημα (l. 21; "full satisfaction") is comparably rare in NT letters (in comparison with πληροφορά), but that it is documented as a variant. |
Selection criteria | Mention of Christian individuals/communities, Nomina sacra |
Date from | 300 |
Date to | 399 |
Dating criteria | Palaeography. Dated by the ed. pr. to the 4th c. |
Absolute/relative date | Relative date |
Archaeological context | The provenance is probably the Hermoupolis Magna (al-Ašmūnayn), and the fragments belonged to metal box 261 (documentary text of recto) and metal box II (verso; Christian letter). |
Accession number | Berlin, Staatliche Museen, Ägyptisches Museum und Papyrussammlung P. 21162
|