Site logo

The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity


from its origins to circa AD 700, across the entire Christian world


Coptic settlement of a dispute over ownership of land, from Jeme (Upper Egypt), concerning a piece of land that had been donated to the monastery/shrine (topos) of Abba *Psate (martyr and bishop in the Thebais, S01468) at Jeme, but was later reclaimed; dated 22 August 739.

Evidence ID

E04028

Type of Evidence

Late antique original manuscripts - Papyrus sheet

Documentary texts - Other private document

P.KRU 50:

The land in question was bought back from the monastery/shrine by the party issuing the document. The opposing party had then claimed ownership or partial ownership of the land, threatening to contest the validity of the sale. In this document it is agreed that the issuing party keeps three quarters of the land, while the contesting party is entitled to one quarter of the land in question.

Lines 16–20 read as follows:

ϩⲁ ⲡϩⲱⲃ ⲙⲡⲭⲱⲣⲏⲙⲁ ⲉⲧϩⲁ ⲡⲁⲏⲓ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲛⲧⲁⲓⲁⲛⲁⲗⲩⲧⲣⲱⲥⲉ ϩⲓⲧⲟⲟⲧϥ ⲙⲡⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲙⲡⲉⲧⲣⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓⲛ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛⲛⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ
ⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲃⲃⲁ ⲯⲁⲧⲉ ⲙⲡⲧⲟⲟⲩ ⲙⲡⲉⲛⲕⲁⲥⲧⲣⲟⲛ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ϫⲉ ⲛⲧⲁⲛⲇⲱⲣⲓⲍⲉ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲡⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲉⲧⲙⲙⲁⲩ ϩⲓⲧⲟⲟⲧϥ
ⲙⲡⲙⲁⲕⲁⲣⲓⲟⲥ ⲉⲡⲓⲫⲁⲛⲉⲓⲟⲥ ⲡⲉϥⲥⲟⲛ ⲉⲧⲓ ⲉϥⲟⲛϩ

'… with respect to the land which is located by my house. This one, which I have redeemed from the holy monastery/shrine (
topos) of the one who shines forth from among the saints, saint Abba Psate on the mountain of our castron (Jeme), because we had donated it to that holy topos through the blessed Epiphanios, his brother, when he was still alive.'

(Text: W. E. Crum and G. Steindorff, German trans. W. C. Till, Engl. trans. G. Schenke)

Cult Places

Cult building - monastic

Non Liturgical Activity

Bequests, donations, gifts and offerings

Source

The papyrus document BM Or. 6721 (10) is housed at the British Museum in London.


Discussion

For dealings involving the same monastic sanctuary see E04029.


Bibliography

Edition and Translation:
Crum, W.E., and Steindorff, G., Koptische Rechtsurkunden des achten Jahrhunderts aus Djeme (Theben) (Leipzig, 1971), 170–173.

Till, W.C.,
Erbrechtliche Untersuchungen auf Grund der koptischen Urkunden (Vienna, 1954), 146–149 (German Translation).


Record Created By

Gesa Schenke

Date of Entry

18/9/2017

Related Saint Records
IDNameName in SourceIdentity
S01468Psote, Apa Psote, bishop of Psoi/Ptolemais (Upper Egypt) and martyr under Diocletianⲁⲃⲃⲁ ⲯⲁⲧⲉCertain


Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Gesa Schenke, Cult of Saints, E04028 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E04028