DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6444#0079
67
PLATES XXVII-XXXVII.
LETTERS.
A.—MODEL LETTERS.
We have first to deal with a small collection of
very short letters, evidently intended to be
copied as an exercise. The more elaborate
models of the Ramesside period are well
known.
Kahun, III. 2.
[PI. XXVIL—XXVIII., 1. 10.]
Sheet much broken. Height, 8 in. = 205
cm.; length, 33^ in. = 84 cm. There are joins
of the leaves at ^ in. from right-hand end, and
f in. from left: a join which must have existed
half-way between them (at 1. 15) is now not
traceable, owing to breakage. Evidently the
leaves were 16 in. = 41 cm. long.
Recto.—Palimpsest : traces in red and black
ink, perhaps of accounts, written over with a
collection of model letters.
Verso.—Blank.
The text begins in the middle of a letter
which has been partly erased. By the side of
(or upon) the last line of each letter one or two
signs have been written in red : in PI. xxvii.,
1. 2, there is 4), 1. 6 J\, 1. 12 J\; PI. xxviii.,
(?) Q
1. 3 w, 1. 6 (?). All these annotations are
^ /WWW
very similar : possibly they are intended for
, meaning " another letter," variously
corrupted. The writing throughout is very
careless.
[PI. XXVIL]
Letter 1.
[The servant of the wakf, M., saith to N\,—Life,
Prosperity, Health!
In the favour of] (1) King Maa'khenrra and all the
gods, even as the servant there desireth:
It is a communication to the Master,—Life, Prosperity,
Health !—(2) about causing to be sent to me 10 re-geese
for (?) the servant there.
May it be good for the Master,—Life, Prosperity,
Health !—to hearken.
This introduces us to formulae wdiich are
repeated with little variation throughout all
these model letters, and wdiich reappear,
generally with further development, in the
original letters also.
/. 1. It is exceptional that the king should be
named without the addition either of m>! hrw
or cnli dt: as the papyrus III. 4 (PI. xxxiii.)
is dated in the reign of this same king—
Amenemhat IV.—it is probable that this exer-
cise also was written in his time. Bach of the
other two cartouches in the papyrus is followed
by m>,£ hriv.
Throughout these letters I am uncertain
whether to transcribe o or in
this formula; probably the latter is correct,
cf. Brm., Gram., § 190.
W Q for tlie writer'aiid If "f i P
for the addressee, are invariable in polite or
respectful address, but the pronouns w>,
PLATES XXVII-XXXVII.
LETTERS.
A.—MODEL LETTERS.
We have first to deal with a small collection of
very short letters, evidently intended to be
copied as an exercise. The more elaborate
models of the Ramesside period are well
known.
Kahun, III. 2.
[PI. XXVIL—XXVIII., 1. 10.]
Sheet much broken. Height, 8 in. = 205
cm.; length, 33^ in. = 84 cm. There are joins
of the leaves at ^ in. from right-hand end, and
f in. from left: a join which must have existed
half-way between them (at 1. 15) is now not
traceable, owing to breakage. Evidently the
leaves were 16 in. = 41 cm. long.
Recto.—Palimpsest : traces in red and black
ink, perhaps of accounts, written over with a
collection of model letters.
Verso.—Blank.
The text begins in the middle of a letter
which has been partly erased. By the side of
(or upon) the last line of each letter one or two
signs have been written in red : in PI. xxvii.,
1. 2, there is 4), 1. 6 J\, 1. 12 J\; PI. xxviii.,
(?) Q
1. 3 w, 1. 6 (?). All these annotations are
^ /WWW
very similar : possibly they are intended for
, meaning " another letter," variously
corrupted. The writing throughout is very
careless.
[PI. XXVIL]
Letter 1.
[The servant of the wakf, M., saith to N\,—Life,
Prosperity, Health!
In the favour of] (1) King Maa'khenrra and all the
gods, even as the servant there desireth:
It is a communication to the Master,—Life, Prosperity,
Health !—(2) about causing to be sent to me 10 re-geese
for (?) the servant there.
May it be good for the Master,—Life, Prosperity,
Health !—to hearken.
This introduces us to formulae wdiich are
repeated with little variation throughout all
these model letters, and wdiich reappear,
generally with further development, in the
original letters also.
/. 1. It is exceptional that the king should be
named without the addition either of m>! hrw
or cnli dt: as the papyrus III. 4 (PI. xxxiii.)
is dated in the reign of this same king—
Amenemhat IV.—it is probable that this exer-
cise also was written in his time. Bach of the
other two cartouches in the papyrus is followed
by m>,£ hriv.
Throughout these letters I am uncertain
whether to transcribe o or in
this formula; probably the latter is correct,
cf. Brm., Gram., § 190.
W Q for tlie writer'aiid If "f i P
for the addressee, are invariable in polite or
respectful address, but the pronouns w>,