Object of the Month

BGU III 874 (P. 2748) Through letters we learn a lot about the people of former times and gain insights into their everyday lives. However, many letters are difficult to understand, especially because of their lack of context, and the… Read More→

SPP III2.5 493 (P. 2675) Receipts are among the most common types of text that have survived on papyrus. Naturally, the Berlin Papyrus Collection also possesses many of these mostly very short and dry texts. Yet they contain a great… Read More→

P. 11793 Inconspicuous, but always good for surprises. A small papyrus fragment provides insights into literary production beyond the major centres and can score points with details that are otherwise barely documented, if at all. The papyrus comes from mummy… Read More→

BKT V.1 28-30 (P. 9739 R) It is well known that Helena was beautiful. However, she was courted by so many suitors that lists had to be drawn up in antiquity. One of them has been preserved on this papyrus,… Read More→

BKT VI 6.3 (P. 9051) „Resurrection Day“ – these words begin the first verse of the song on this writing and stand as the heading for what follows: Christ’s resurrection, the Easter. Many hymns have been handed down from the… Read More→

SB XII 10915 (P. 13311 Fr. a) Who was Satorneilos (Saturninus) for whom this customs receipt was issued? What cargo did he transport that was cleared through customs? What was it used for? The customs receipt does not answer any… Read More→

SB VI 9545 Nr. 14 (P. 12668) Even in ancient times, most citizens had to pay highly unpopular taxes. In Egypt, for example, there was the poll tax during the Roman period. Further evidence of this annual payment is provided… Read More→

P. 11633 „Rejoice in the Lord all the earth.“ Many hymns have been handed down from the ancient Christian context. Sometimes they are even related to specific occasions. Certain festivals of the church year already had their liturgical hymn texts… Read More→

BKT X 27 (P. 17082) Especially in times of crisis, people need succour, whether it is of a spiritual nature or expressed concretely in the concern and compassion of their closest fellow human beings. The Berlin Papyrus Collection preserves countless… Read More→

SB I 2639 (ÄM 11851) Two women, a baker and a mummy? What was their relationship? Whose mummy is it? The text on this unusual wooden tablet raises many questions, only a few of which can be answered. But at… Read More→