DOI Artikel:
Gaselee, Stephen: Progress of Egyptology: christian Egypt
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.12419#0089
Christian Egypt.
69
A preliminary description141 of the Munich papyri, by L. Wengee, shows
that among them there are some (sixth century) from Assouan and its
neighbourhood, from which we are likely to be able to obtain some useful
information as to the military and civil government of the place, and
also some details as to its churches.
Two Coptic I.O.U.'s, or acknowledgments of debts, on ostraca belonging
to Mr. J. Offord, are published142 by H. E. Hall. They state that Maria
of Jeme, the daughter of Zacharias, owes Tacliel, a female money-lender, a
trimcsion of gold, and pledges some land to her until she has paid capital
and interest.
Up to the present time only two Coptic marriage contracts have been
printed. A third is now 142a published by Sir H. Thompson, dating from
a.t). 946 : the bridegroom undertakes to pay 100 solidi in the course of
five years for the bride. There is a short superscription in Bohairic, but
the rest of the document is in normal Sa'idic.
Dating from 18 Tubi 972 a.m. (=12 Jan. 1256 a.d.), a curious little set
of documents has been published143 by Jean Maspero, consisting of a
bundle of testimonials in Arabic to the high worth and moral character of a
certain priest John. The whole seems to be connected with the Mu'allaqah,
and J. M. suggests with great probability that John had collected these—
or that they had been brought together on his behalf—previous to his
election to the archipresbyterate of that or one of the other great churches
of Cairo. The word arakhnah is to be noticed, which may be the plural of
arlcliun or drklm, apxovres, " notables " : J. M. quotes a parallel from Abii
Salih.
A very fine example of a Melius is among the Eylands Papyri.144 It is
cpaite complete, and includes the official's signature to the effect that he
saw the declaring party (a woman) sacrificing. There is also a very small
fragment of what looks like a hortatory letter of some dignitary of the
Church.
Jean Maspero proceeds145 with his important publication of Greek
papyri (Byzantine epoch) in the Cairo Museum. The work (although of
the very first rank) is only briefly mentioned here because, although the
signatories to the various contracts, etc., were naturally Christians, the
legal documents come more naturally into the survey of the work done
on Grajco-Boinan Egypt.
The Aphrodito Greek and Coptic texts (v. last Report, 70) give V. Chapot
the opportunity146 for a brief description of the organization of govern-
ment in Egypt in the eighth century, and the social life of the Fellaheen
at that period.
69
A preliminary description141 of the Munich papyri, by L. Wengee, shows
that among them there are some (sixth century) from Assouan and its
neighbourhood, from which we are likely to be able to obtain some useful
information as to the military and civil government of the place, and
also some details as to its churches.
Two Coptic I.O.U.'s, or acknowledgments of debts, on ostraca belonging
to Mr. J. Offord, are published142 by H. E. Hall. They state that Maria
of Jeme, the daughter of Zacharias, owes Tacliel, a female money-lender, a
trimcsion of gold, and pledges some land to her until she has paid capital
and interest.
Up to the present time only two Coptic marriage contracts have been
printed. A third is now 142a published by Sir H. Thompson, dating from
a.t). 946 : the bridegroom undertakes to pay 100 solidi in the course of
five years for the bride. There is a short superscription in Bohairic, but
the rest of the document is in normal Sa'idic.
Dating from 18 Tubi 972 a.m. (=12 Jan. 1256 a.d.), a curious little set
of documents has been published143 by Jean Maspero, consisting of a
bundle of testimonials in Arabic to the high worth and moral character of a
certain priest John. The whole seems to be connected with the Mu'allaqah,
and J. M. suggests with great probability that John had collected these—
or that they had been brought together on his behalf—previous to his
election to the archipresbyterate of that or one of the other great churches
of Cairo. The word arakhnah is to be noticed, which may be the plural of
arlcliun or drklm, apxovres, " notables " : J. M. quotes a parallel from Abii
Salih.
A very fine example of a Melius is among the Eylands Papyri.144 It is
cpaite complete, and includes the official's signature to the effect that he
saw the declaring party (a woman) sacrificing. There is also a very small
fragment of what looks like a hortatory letter of some dignitary of the
Church.
Jean Maspero proceeds145 with his important publication of Greek
papyri (Byzantine epoch) in the Cairo Museum. The work (although of
the very first rank) is only briefly mentioned here because, although the
signatories to the various contracts, etc., were naturally Christians, the
legal documents come more naturally into the survey of the work done
on Grajco-Boinan Egypt.
The Aphrodito Greek and Coptic texts (v. last Report, 70) give V. Chapot
the opportunity146 for a brief description of the organization of govern-
ment in Egypt in the eighth century, and the social life of the Fellaheen
at that period.