Artefact ID | 450 |
TM ID | TM 20309 |
Findspot (DEChriM ID) | 12 (Ismant al-Ḫarāb) | Class | Textual |
Material | Papyrus |
Writing medium | Sheet/roll |
Text content | Documentary |
Language | Greek |
Description | P.Kellis I 48: Manumission of a female slave This fragmentarily preserved papyrus contains the copy of a deed of manumission of a female slave Hilaria by her master Aurelius Valerius, former magistrate of the city of the Mothites. The reason given for this manumission is quite remarkable since Aurelius Valerius states: "I have set you free because of my exceptional Christianity" (διʼ ὑπερβ̣ολὴν χ[ρι]στιανότη̣τ̣ο̣ς̣) and combines it with the traditional formula "under Zeus, Earth and Sun", which, according to the editor, "offers a nice illustration of the amalgam of Christian and pagan elements sometimes occurring next to each other in 4th-century documents" (Worp 2004: 142). The substantive χριστιανότης seems to be attested here for the first time. A priest, Aurelius Psekes, acts as a witness to this deed (l. 20) and might be referred to as "our most reverend father Psekes" (l. 9-10); monks may have been present too (l. 11n.).
On both sides of the sheet the writing runs parallel with the fibres. The sheet was folded 7 times vertically and 3 times horizontally. |
Selection criteria | Mention of Christian cult officials/institutions, Mention of Christian individuals/communities, Christian terms/formulas/concepts, Archaeological context associated with Christian markers |
Date from | 355 |
Date to | 355 |
Dating criteria | Text dated 355. |
Absolute/relative date | Absolute date |
Archaeological context | House 3, room 9, level 3, Western doorway; P. 61.F+G + U + V: House 3, room 8, level 4; P. 65.F+J: House 3, room 8, level 3. |
Accession number | Kellis, excavations Dakleh Oasis Project 1986-, inv. P. 56.C + P. 61.F+G + U + V + P. 65.F+J. |