Papyrus Boulaq 18

The Papyrus Boulaq 18 is an account book of the Theban palace from the 13th Dynasty (around 1750 BC). Two papyri are listed under this name, called the large and small Papyrus Boulaq 18.

discovery

The papyri were found by Auguste Mariette in Thebes in 1860 . According to the description in the first publication of the papyri, they were found in a burial chamber next to a Rishi coffin . Other grave goods found here included a chest that belonged to the Neferhotep labor camp clerk . This person also appears on other objects in the tomb and on the smaller of the two papyri, so it can be assumed that it was his burial.

The great papyrus

In the large papyrus there are various lists sorted by date. The entry and exit of groceries at the royal court is recorded. There are long lists of the officials present at the court and corresponding notes on what food they received. Historically interesting events are also mentioned, such as the arrival of the Nubians or the king's exit to the temple of Medamud . Also important are the long lists of officials, which allow us a unique insight into the composition of the royal court. Although the ruler's family also appears in the lists, the ruler's family is not listed as a recipient of food. The papyrus is only partially preserved. Above all, the king's name is poorly preserved, so there are discussions about the dating of this document . The surviving remains of a royal cartouche are mostly reconstructed for Sobekhotep II .

The little papyrus

The smaller fragment has a comparable content, it lists the deliveries to the palace of bakery and brewery products.

literature

• Auguste Mariette : Les papyrus egyptiens du Musee de Boulaq. Tome 2: Papyrus no.10 à 20. A. Franck, Paris 1872.
• Alexander Scharff: An account book of the royal court from the 13th dynasty. In the magazine for Egyptian language and antiquity. No. 57, 1922, pp. 51-68, panels 1 ** - 24 **.