Rylands Papyrus 9

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Papyrus Rylands 9 is a demotic papyrus containing the petition of an ancient Egyptian priest from the time of Darius I (513 BC). The document found at el-Hibe is now in the John Rylands Library in Manchester .

The papyrus consists of the long submission of Peteese, a simple scribe at the Temple of Amun at el-Hibe , to a high official (senti) in Memphis . In the course of this petition he tells his family history across several columns , which goes back to the time of Psammetich I (664 BC). Peteese comes from a family of former harbor masters who had a lot of influence and important priesthoods in el-Hibe. However, these offices were stripped from his family through intrigues by the other priests. Peteese asserts his claims to the priesthood and related income.

Papyrus Rylands 9 is an important source for the reconstruction of the administration of Egypt in the Saïten period ( 26th Dynasty ) and early Persian times ( 27th Dynasty ). In addition, the document gives a vivid insight into the conditions among the priests of a provincial temple in late Egypt.

literature

  • Francis Llewellyn Griffith: Catalog of the Demotic Papyri in the John Rylands Library Manchester I-III. Manchester / London 1909.
  • Günter Vittmann : The demotic papyrus Ryland 9. Part I: Text and translation. ; Part II: Comments and Indexes. (= Egypt and Old Testament. Vol. 38). Munich 1998.