Artefact ID | 639 |
TM ID | TM 64431 |
Findspot (DEChriM ID) | 12 (Ismant al-Ḫarāb) | Class | Textual |
Material | Parchment |
Writing medium | Codex |
Text content | Literary |
Language | Greek, Syriac |
Description | P.Kellis 5; P.Kell. Syr. / Gr. 1 Parchment fragment from a codex containing possibly a Manichean religious text written in Greek and Syriac. The text is arranged in 4 columns on each side of the page. The first two columns of the recto appear to be written in Syriac, the following column in Geeek. The fourth is not legible. On the verso, only the third column is readable, and it is written in Syriac. There is a supralinear numeral (in Greek) on the verso, marking the page number: it marks the verso as page "408". On the verso, in col. iii l. 4, there appears a number "42", perhaps indicating a number and/or title of the chapter; see ed. pr. It is not clear if the folio offers translations of the same text in Greek and Syriac, nor is the relationship between the languages/columns apparent. The script is described as fine, and the codex is apparantly a fine production. The context and format, according to the ed. pr., indicate a Manichean text. |
Selection criteria | Literary genre (Non-canonical) |
Date from | 300 |
Date to | 399 |
Dating criteria | Palaeography and the possible connection to Manichaeism. No description of the hand is given in the ed. pr. (other than a note on the quality as "fine"). |
Absolute/relative date | Relative date |
Archaeological context | The provenance is Kellis (Ismant al-Ḫarāb), in "house no. 3", room 7 and level 1 of the excavation site. |
Accession number | Egypt, Ismant el-Kharab, excavations Dakleh Oasis Project 1986-, house 3, no. A/5/26. |