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ARTEFACT IDENTIFIERS

Artefact ID385
TM IDTM 59993
Findspot (DEChriM ID)28   (al-Bahnasā)
ClassTextual
MaterialPapyrus
Writing mediumCodex
Text contentLiterary
LanguageGreek
Description

P.Oxy. IX 1172 + P.Oxy. L 3526; KV32

Fragments from a papyrus codex containing The Shepherd of Hermas Parables (Similitudines) ii 51.4-10 and Mandates 34.3-35.2 with a preserved subtitle.

These fragments originally belonged to the same codex. The first fragment, i.e., P.Oxy. IX 1172 (=P.Lit.Lond. 224 / British Library 2067), is a well preserved folio containing parts of the Similitudines. The fragment has retained its pagination in the upper right corner. The pagination, which, together with some minor superlinear corretions, is written in another yet contemporary hand (see ed. pr.), marks the folio as pages 70 and 71 (ο and οα respectively). The text, lacking any obvious punctuation, is seemingly written rapidly and has elongated, cursive features (see ed. pr. and Blumell / Wayment 2015: 265). It contains several diaereses and one instance of accentuation (l. 2 κεῖται). The fragment contains several unique readings in l. 1, 6 (which probably stems from an error), 11 and 26. Other witnesses to these verses of the Similitudines are the codex Athous (14th c.) and P. Berl. 5513 (3/4 c.), with which the fragment often agrees against the Latin witness. 

The second fragment (P.Oxy. L 3526) is less well preserved: it lacks the top and bottom margin, and there is no surviving pagination. A subtitle (reading ἐντολή Ϛ; "Mandate 6") can be found in l. 40. As in the first fragment, the text exhibits no noticeable punctuation, and contains two instances of marked rough breathing (l. 20 in οὑ and in l. 36 ἁς). A deletion of text is marked by to superlinear dots in l. 8. The text also contains omissions and errors, sometimes corrected by the original scribe; see ed. pr. (Rea 1983). Several verses that are found in this fragment are not attested in the MSS M and Codex Sinaiticus (TM 62315), and can be considered superior as they predate other attestations such as in the MS A; see Blumell / Wayment 2015: 268. Both fragments omit the use of nomen sacrum for ἄνθρωπος, although other common nouns are contracted.

Selection criteriaLiterary genre (Non-canonical), Nomina sacra
Date from300
Date to399
Dating criteria

Palaeography. Dated by the ed.pr. (Hunt 1912) to the 4th c. on account of the text being written in sloping, semi-cursive uncials.

Absolute/relative dateRelative date
Archaeological context

Found in the ancient trash sites of Oxyrhynchus (al-Bahnasā) by Grenfell and Hunt during their extensive excavations that took place at the end of the 19th /beginning of the 20th c. One fragment (P.Oxy. IX 1772=P.Lit.Lond. 224/British Library 2067) was acquired from the EES by the British Library in 1914.

Accession number

London, British Library, Pap 2067 and Oxford, Sackler Library, Papyrology Rooms 48 5B 107/D(2-4)b.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Editiones principes:

∙ Hunt, Arthur S. 1912. The Oxyrhynchus Papyri, part IX. Published by the Egypt Exploration Society in Graeco-Roman Memoirs. London. 11-16, no. 1172.

∙ Rea, J. D, Colin Henderson Roberts, A. K. Bowman, A. J. Cockle, et al., eds. 1983. The Oxyrhynchus Papyri, part L. Published by the Egypt Exploration Society in Graeco-Roman Memoirs. London. 14-17, no. 3526.

Additional bibliography:

∙ Aland, Kurt. 1995. Repertorium der Griechischen Christlichen Papyri. II. Kirchenväter. Kirchenväter 32.

∙ Blumell, Lincoln H. and Thomas A. Wayment. 2015. Christian Oxyrynchus: Texts, Documents and Sources. Waco, Texas. Papyrus no. 73 and 74.

∙ Holmes, M. W. 1999. The Apostolic Fathers: Greek Texts and English Translations of Their Writings. Grand Rapids, Michigan. 388-391, 422-424.

. Luijendijk, AnneMarie. 2010. "Sacred Scriptures as Trash:Biblical Papyri from Oxyrhynchus". Vigiliae Christianae. 64. 253.

∙ Milne, H. J. M. 1927. "P. Lond. Lit. 224". Catalogue of the Literary Papyri In the British Museum. London: Published by the Trustees.

∙ Osiek, C. 1999. The Shepherd of Hermas: A Commentary. Hermeneia: Minneapolis. 

∙ van Haelst, Joseph. 1976. Catalogue des papyrus littéraires juifs et chrétiens. Description no. 661.

∙ Wessely, C. 1924. Les plus anciens monuments du christianisme écrits sur papyrus. Vol. 2. Paris. 477-479.

∙ Wayment, Thomas A. 2013. The text of the New Testament apocrypha (100-400 CE). 151-152, 157-158, 372-373, 380-381.

∙ Whittaker, Molly. 1967. Die apostolischen Väter 1: Der Hirt des Hermas. Berlin. 

Authors
Sofia Heim, 2021
Suggested citation
Sofia Heim, 2021, "Artefact ID 385", 4CARE database - Fourth-Century Christian Archaeological Record of Egypt, https://4care-skos.mf.no/artefacts/385
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