Elephantine Archives? Old Kingdom Papyri in Context, New Issues

The German Archaeological Institute Cairo cordially invites you to a lecture by

Andrea Pillon (University Lumière Lyon 2)

Elephantine Archives? Old Kingdom Papyri in Context, New Issues

Monday, 26th of May 2025, at 6:00pm (Cairo)

Abstract:

The Elephantine papyri of the late third millennium BCE are best known for two letters housed in the Berlin Museum, particularly one detailing the crimes of Count Sabni. Initially viewed as family archives of local governors, the interpretation of these documents has been questioned over time. Since the late 19th century, many papyri found on the island have been sold to travellers and archaeologists or sent abroad, resulting in the dispersion of numerous fragments. Museum archaeology enables the reassembling of these largely unexplored texts, which encompass letters, accounts, and other texts of both private and administrative nature, as well as religious content. They provide valuable insights into the writing culture of a provincial community at the end of the Old Kingdom and later. Alongside an overview of the papyri preserved in collections, this lecture will highlight new evidence from excavations led by the DAIK and Swiss Institute in Cairo. In particular, a sealed jar with several papyri has been found, challenging previous documentation and raising essential questions about archiving practices in Elephantine, local institutions, and governance during the 6th Dynasty.

Join the Hybrid-Event via Zoom:

https://dainst-org.zoom.us/j/91593889272?pwd=wNJKaoAuqm1yHGiVZZdRbE9MsowZai.1