DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.47598#0162
J. Martin Plumley
The Christian Period at Qasr Ibrim
Some Notes on the MSS Finds
One of the murals now on permanent exhibition in the Museum Narodowe depicts an 11th century
ecclesiastical dignitary, Marianos one time Bishop of Pachoras. The funerary stele of this bishop
was, however, found in 1966 at Qasr Ibrim1. In the person of this bishop is attested the first
material link so far discovered between Pachoras and the fortress-city of Phrim, as Ibrim was
known in medieval times. This does not mean that links between the two centres had not existed
before. Indeed, it is possible that further excavations at Ibrim may produce evidence to confirm
what at present can be assumed with some certainty, that there were continual and frequent comings
and goings between Pachoras and Phrim.
Nothing from Ibrim can compare with the wealth of frescoes from Faras. It may well be that apart
from the few miserable fragments of painted plaster discovered so far on the site, little in the way
of frescoes will reward the excavator on Ibrim. One however must be cautious in making such
forecasts for Ibrim has more than once produced the unexpected. But for the moment, whereas
Faras’ outstanding contribution to the recovery of the history of Nubia lies in her magnificent
frescoes, Ibrim’s special contribution is to be found in the extensive and varied written material
which favourable climatic conditions and the accidents of history have combined to preserve.
Some reference to the MSS finds and the inscriptional material from Ibrim has already been made
by me in the preliminary reports published in the Journal of Egyptian Archaeology2. The
remarkable late 14th century Letters Commissary contained in the Scrolls of Bishop Timotheos
have now been edited and translated by me, and the finished copy is in the hands of the printers.
It is my hope and intention that the Scrolls should be followed by others of the MSS finds from
Ibrim as soon as is possible. I should, however, point out that the publication of the material
cannot be concluded quickly because of a number of factors, some of which are out of my control.
In the first place a not inconsiderable amount of the material is fragmentary and some is in
a fragile condition. In a few instances the writing is all but illegible. After proper conservation many
hours of long and patient piecing together of the fragments will be called for. A further difficulty
is that the bulk of the MSS is housed in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, so that the initial work
must be carried out at home by means of photographs, not always satisfactory, together with such
handcopies as could be made during the limited time available to the staff of the various expeditions.
It will be appreciated that the most urgent task for my colleagues and myself remains the continued
and rapid excavation of the fortress area of Ibrim. Although still above the level of Lake Nasser,
the site will be increasingly affected by the capillary action of the underlying water. Visits to Egypt
must therefore be primarily and largely taken up with the urgent tasks of excavation and salvage,
and the work of collating copies against original documents and making more satisfactory records
of some material be fitted in where possible. Nor should it be overlooked that further work on
Ibrim may result in the discovery of new written material, some of which may relate to what has
already been discovered and may fill up gaps in the MSS already recovered.
With these introductory remarks I take the opportunity to present a short report on some of the
results so far from the preliminary investigations which it has been possible to carry out on those
1 J. Μ. Plumley, The Stele of Marianos Bishoo of Faras, Bulletin du Musée National de Varsovie, XII (1971), pp.
77-84.
2 J. Μ. Plumley, in: Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, L (1964), pp. 3-5; LII (1966), pp. 9-12; LIII (1967), pp. 3-5;
LVI (1970), pp. 12-18.
101
The Christian Period at Qasr Ibrim
Some Notes on the MSS Finds
One of the murals now on permanent exhibition in the Museum Narodowe depicts an 11th century
ecclesiastical dignitary, Marianos one time Bishop of Pachoras. The funerary stele of this bishop
was, however, found in 1966 at Qasr Ibrim1. In the person of this bishop is attested the first
material link so far discovered between Pachoras and the fortress-city of Phrim, as Ibrim was
known in medieval times. This does not mean that links between the two centres had not existed
before. Indeed, it is possible that further excavations at Ibrim may produce evidence to confirm
what at present can be assumed with some certainty, that there were continual and frequent comings
and goings between Pachoras and Phrim.
Nothing from Ibrim can compare with the wealth of frescoes from Faras. It may well be that apart
from the few miserable fragments of painted plaster discovered so far on the site, little in the way
of frescoes will reward the excavator on Ibrim. One however must be cautious in making such
forecasts for Ibrim has more than once produced the unexpected. But for the moment, whereas
Faras’ outstanding contribution to the recovery of the history of Nubia lies in her magnificent
frescoes, Ibrim’s special contribution is to be found in the extensive and varied written material
which favourable climatic conditions and the accidents of history have combined to preserve.
Some reference to the MSS finds and the inscriptional material from Ibrim has already been made
by me in the preliminary reports published in the Journal of Egyptian Archaeology2. The
remarkable late 14th century Letters Commissary contained in the Scrolls of Bishop Timotheos
have now been edited and translated by me, and the finished copy is in the hands of the printers.
It is my hope and intention that the Scrolls should be followed by others of the MSS finds from
Ibrim as soon as is possible. I should, however, point out that the publication of the material
cannot be concluded quickly because of a number of factors, some of which are out of my control.
In the first place a not inconsiderable amount of the material is fragmentary and some is in
a fragile condition. In a few instances the writing is all but illegible. After proper conservation many
hours of long and patient piecing together of the fragments will be called for. A further difficulty
is that the bulk of the MSS is housed in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, so that the initial work
must be carried out at home by means of photographs, not always satisfactory, together with such
handcopies as could be made during the limited time available to the staff of the various expeditions.
It will be appreciated that the most urgent task for my colleagues and myself remains the continued
and rapid excavation of the fortress area of Ibrim. Although still above the level of Lake Nasser,
the site will be increasingly affected by the capillary action of the underlying water. Visits to Egypt
must therefore be primarily and largely taken up with the urgent tasks of excavation and salvage,
and the work of collating copies against original documents and making more satisfactory records
of some material be fitted in where possible. Nor should it be overlooked that further work on
Ibrim may result in the discovery of new written material, some of which may relate to what has
already been discovered and may fill up gaps in the MSS already recovered.
With these introductory remarks I take the opportunity to present a short report on some of the
results so far from the preliminary investigations which it has been possible to carry out on those
1 J. Μ. Plumley, The Stele of Marianos Bishoo of Faras, Bulletin du Musée National de Varsovie, XII (1971), pp.
77-84.
2 J. Μ. Plumley, in: Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, L (1964), pp. 3-5; LII (1966), pp. 9-12; LIII (1967), pp. 3-5;
LVI (1970), pp. 12-18.
101