DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.47598#0172
There are a number of other letters of miscellaneous character, most of which are probably to be
assigned to the 12th century. The only clearly dated document in this group would appear to be
a marriage contract bearing the date 1091.
One important letter, probably to be dated to the end of the 13th or the beginning of the 14th
century, has been found at Ibrim in the same deposit as the 12th century letters. In this the author
mentions that he is sending two of his sons to the court of the King at Dongola where he will
eventually join them. He asks the Governor of Ibrim to entreat with the King that he may give
permission to build houses in a number of named Nubian localities. In the course of his letter he
mentions the services which his grandfather, his father, and a cousin had rendered to various Nubian
Kings, among whom are named Basil, David, and Paul.
The purpose of this paper is intended to be no more than a preliminary survey of the MSS from
Ibrim, to indicate in a general way the nature of the material at present available. Further study
of the MSS may be expected to throw new light on the Christian Kingdoms of Nubia. From the
Greek we may hope to gather some idea of the form of the liturgy which was in use in the Nubian
Church. The Coptic will supplement our knowledge of the Sahidic biblical and ecclesiastical literary
works in circulation in Nubia. The Old Nubian material is particularly welcome both for the light
which it may throw upon this still imperfectly understood language and for the information which
it may provide about a hitherto poorly documented period so far as purely native sources are
concerned. From the Arabic MSS we may hope to learn more about the contacts between Egypt
and Nubia.
If one may be permitted with all due respect to adapt a phrase from the Epistle to the Hebrews,
it might be said of the Christian City of Ibrim that through its newly found writtings άπο&ανοϋσα ετι
λαλεΐ “it being dead, yet speaketh”.
assigned to the 12th century. The only clearly dated document in this group would appear to be
a marriage contract bearing the date 1091.
One important letter, probably to be dated to the end of the 13th or the beginning of the 14th
century, has been found at Ibrim in the same deposit as the 12th century letters. In this the author
mentions that he is sending two of his sons to the court of the King at Dongola where he will
eventually join them. He asks the Governor of Ibrim to entreat with the King that he may give
permission to build houses in a number of named Nubian localities. In the course of his letter he
mentions the services which his grandfather, his father, and a cousin had rendered to various Nubian
Kings, among whom are named Basil, David, and Paul.
The purpose of this paper is intended to be no more than a preliminary survey of the MSS from
Ibrim, to indicate in a general way the nature of the material at present available. Further study
of the MSS may be expected to throw new light on the Christian Kingdoms of Nubia. From the
Greek we may hope to gather some idea of the form of the liturgy which was in use in the Nubian
Church. The Coptic will supplement our knowledge of the Sahidic biblical and ecclesiastical literary
works in circulation in Nubia. The Old Nubian material is particularly welcome both for the light
which it may throw upon this still imperfectly understood language and for the information which
it may provide about a hitherto poorly documented period so far as purely native sources are
concerned. From the Arabic MSS we may hope to learn more about the contacts between Egypt
and Nubia.
If one may be permitted with all due respect to adapt a phrase from the Epistle to the Hebrews,
it might be said of the Christian City of Ibrim that through its newly found writtings άπο&ανοϋσα ετι
λαλεΐ “it being dead, yet speaketh”.