A Coptic list of holy books belonging to the monastery of Apa *Elijah/Elias (probably the Old Testament prophet, S00217) 'on the mountain', presumably at Aphroditopolis/Atfih (Middle Egypt), lists a papyrus manuscript containing the Life of Mary (possibly *Mary of Egypt, S00903); list datable to the 7th/8th century.
E01734
Documentary texts - List
KSB 1.12
A large limestone ostracon preserves one hundred and fifteen lines written in two columns, listing all the books belonging to the monastery of Elijah on the mountain. The list begins with books from the Old Testament followed by the gospels, and various other manuscripts, including Encomia (E01733, E01737, E01738, E01740), Lives (E01732, E01733, E01734, E01736, E01741), and Martyrdoms (E01731, E01735, E01739, E01742, E01743). The material of the books is listed either as papyrus (ⲭⲁⲣⲧⲏⲥ) or as parchment (ⲙⲉⲃⲣⲁⲛⲟⲛ), specifying whether these manuscripts are old or new.
[ⲡⲗ]ⲟ̣ⲅⲟⲥ ⲛⲛϫⲱⲱⲙⲉ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲙⲡⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲛⲁⲡⲁ ϩⲏⲗⲓⲁⲥ ⲛⲧⲡ̣ⲉ̣[ⲧⲣⲁ]
‘[The] list of holy books at the monastery (topos) of Apa Elias on the mountain.’
In line 59 is the entry:
ⲡⲃⲓⲟⲥ ⲛⲑⲁⲅⲓⲁ ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ ⲭⲁⲣ(ⲧⲏⲥ)
'The Life of saint Mary, papyrus (χάρτης).’
Text: M. Hasitzka, KSB 1.12
Translation: G. Schenke
Transmission, copying and reading saint-related texts
Source
The limestone ostracon belongs to the IFAO in Cairo, Inv. 13315, and is datable by its script to the 7th/8th century.Bibliography
Edition:Hasitzka, M.R.M., Koptisches Sammelbuch (KSB), vol. 1 (Vienna, 1993), 9–12.
Gesa Schenke
15/7/2016
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00033 | Mary, Mother of Christ | ⲑⲁⲅⲓⲁ ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ | Uncertain | S00217 | Elijah/Elias, Old Testament prophet | ⲁⲡⲁ ϩⲏⲗⲓⲁⲥ | Uncertain | S00903 | Mary of Egypt | ⲑⲁⲅⲓⲁ ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ | Uncertain |
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Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Gesa Schenke, Cult of Saints, E01734 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E01734