Object of the Month

BGU III 717 (P. 7976) “Money or Love?” – Even in ancient times, the act of marriage was one of the most important events in human life. Sometimes the conditions of a marriage were regulated by a marriage contract. A… Read More→

P. 11532 (SB I 4639) In some ways it may be surprising that this document of the Greco-Roman period is one of the most discussed papyri in Berlin. The content of this piece, bought by Friedrich Zucker in Giza 1909,… Read More→

BGU III 718 (P. 7882) „Small but nice“ – that could probably be said about this papyrus. Because this small and unimpressive tax receipt has to offer some special surprises that only catch the eye when you look closely. The… Read More→

SB I 1194 (ÄM 11846) This small, rectangular wooden tablet is the mummy label of a 96-year-old woman named Senpetermuthes, who lived in Egypt in the 3rd century AD. The mummy label contains the same text in Greek language on… Read More→

P. 8977 (SPP III2.2 129) The exhibit gives an example, how surviving textual witnesses refer to daily and common procedures and nonetheless include peculiarities which bring up questions unsolved. Its provenance, the Nubian Gebelên, was guaranteed by the notation of… Read More→

P. 11529 V The calculation of surface areas, diagonals and volumes did not only cause problems at school today, because mathematics was an important part of teaching even in ancient times. Therefore, tasks with accompanying solutions were always welcome. For… Read More→

BGU II 611 (P. 8507) Watching an emperor at work: On this papyrus there is a copy of two senatorial speeches of the Roman Emperor Claudius, which deal with reforms of the Roman law courts. Claudius, who was born on… Read More→

BGU II 423 (P. 7950) This letter from a soldier to his father is something very special. He was found in Egypt, but originally comes from Italy. Since there is no date in the text, it can only be dated… Read More→

BKT III, S. 22–26 (P. 9764) How should a doctor and above all a surgeon be trained? This is the question which is being treated in this fragment of a papyrus scroll that contains an otherwise unknown treatise on the… Read More→

O.Wilck. 1148 = BKT V.1, S. 78f. (P. 4757) Even in ancient times writing had to be learned. But then people did not use pen and paper, but e.g. a potsherd (now called ostracon) and a kalamos, as can be… Read More→