Coptic ostracon from western Thebes (Upper Egypt) mentioning *John (most likely the Apostle and Evangelist, S00042); datable to the 7th century.
Evidence ID
E04177
Type of Evidence
Documentary texts - Letter
Late antique original manuscripts - Ostracon/Pot-sherd
O.Frange 796
In this fragmentary letter, a saint John is mentioned seemingly as part of the solution to a discussed problem. It might even have involved an oath sworn to the saint.
Lines 16–19 on the verso of the letter run as follows:
ⲡⲗⲏⲛ ⲧⲡⲣⲟⲑⲉⲥ̣[ⲙⲓⲁ]
[ⲛ]ⲧ̣ⲁⲛⲧⲟϣⲥ ⲛⲙⲙⲁϥ ⲛ̣ ̣[ ̣ ̣] ̣
ⲙ̣ⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ [ⲁ]ⲡⲁ ⲱⲁⲛ[(ⲛ)ⲏⲥ]
[ⲉ]ⲕϣⲁⲛⲉⲓ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲡⲛ̣[ -ca.?- ]
‘But the deadline which we have determined with him for … […] for/to saint Apa John, if you come to the […] …’
(Text: A. Boud'hors and Ch. Heurtel; trans.: G. Schenke)
A complete record of the text is available at:
http://papyri.info/ddbdp/o.frange;;796
Cult Places
Cult building - monastic
Source
The ostracon inv. O. 291894 is a limestone ostracon inscribed on both sides and was found during a season of the Belgian excavation at the Theban necropolis. It is part of the archive of the monk Frange who inhabited the tomb of Amenemope (TT29) in the Valley of the Kings.Discussion
Perhaps one could consider reading ⲱⲣⲕ 'swearing (an oath)' or ⲡⲱⲣⲕ 'the swearing (of an oath)' at the end of line 17 to have in lines 16–18:ⲡⲗⲏⲛ ⲧⲡⲣⲟⲑⲉⲥ̣[ⲙⲓⲁ]
[ⲛ]ⲧ̣ⲁⲛⲧⲟϣⲥ ⲛⲙⲙⲁϥ ⲛ̣ ⲡ̣[ⲱⲣ]ⲕ̣
ⲙ̣ⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ [ⲁ]ⲡⲁ ⲱⲁⲛ[(ⲛ)ⲏⲥ]
‘But the deadline which we have determined with him for the [swearing (of an oath)] to saint Apa John, …'
Bibliography
Text and French translation:Boud'hors, A., and Heurtel, C., Les ostraca coptes de la TT 29. Autour du moine Frangé (Études d'archéologie thébaine 3; Brussels, 2010), 427–428.
Record Created By
Gesa Schenke
Date of Entry
22/10/2017
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00042 | John, the Apostle and Evangelist | [ⲁ]ⲡⲁ ⲱⲁⲛ[(ⲛ)ⲏⲥ] | Certain |
|---|
Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Gesa Schenke, Cult of Saints, E04177 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E04177