Site logo

The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity


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


Coptic ostracon from the area of Jeme (Upper Egypt) with a list of donations/payments made to the topos of Apa *John (presumably either the Baptist, S00020, or the Apostle and Evangelist, S00042) and *Jakob (possibly the Old Testament patriarch, S00280); datable to the 7th century.

Evidence ID

E05997

Type of Evidence

Documentary texts - List

Late antique original manuscripts - Ostracon/Pot-sherd

O.Crum ad. 30

This document seems to be a list of donations made to the shrine of Apa John and Apa Jakob, or expenses in connection with a pilgrimage to the shrine, rather than of goods sold to a monastery dedicated to the saints. The list includes measure of wine, linen, sesame, and corn, as well as amounts of corn given for a camel and its fodder.

The head of the document reads as follows:

ⲡⲗⲟⲅⲟⲥ ⲙⲡⲉⲛⲧⲁⲓ . . . ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲉⲡⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲛⲫⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲓⲱϩⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲓⲁⲕⲱⲃ

'The list of what I have … to the topos of saint Apa Ioannes and Iakob:'


(Text: W. E. Crum; trans.: G. Schenke)



Record Created By

Gesa Schenke

Date of Entry

5/8/2018

Related Saint Records
IDNameName in SourceIdentity
S00020John the Baptistⲁⲡⲁ ⲓⲱϩⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ Uncertain
S00042John, the Apostle and Evangelistⲁⲡⲁ ⲓⲱϩⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥUncertain
S00280Jacob, Old Testament patriarchⲓⲁⲕⲱⲃUncertain


Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Gesa Schenke, Cult of Saints, E05997 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E05997