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E02439: Coptic Letter, from the monastery of Epiphanius at Thebes (Upper Egypt), mentioning the presbyter of an institution dedicated to Apa *Shenetom (S01220); datable to the end of the 6th/beginning of the 7th century.

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posted on 2017-03-03, 00:00 authored by gschenke
P.Mon.Epiph. 300

In this fragmentary letter from a widow presumably to Apa Epiphanius, she complains that her husband has given corn to the priest of Apa Shenetom and to Sakau, son of Joui, but that so far they have not paid her, even though she has asked them to do so many times.

Lines 9–12 run as follows:

ⲁⲡⲙⲁⲅⲁⲣⲓⲟⲥ ⲡⲁϩⲁ ϯϩⲉⲛⲥⲟⲩⲟ ⲛⲁⲡⲣⲉⲥⲃ(ⲩⲧⲉⲣⲟⲥ) ⲛⲁⲡⲁ ϣⲉⲛⲉⲧⲱⲙ ⲙⲡ ⲥⲁⲕⲁⲧ ⲡϫⲟⲩ ⲁⲩϫⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲧⲕⲁⲉ ⲙⲛⲟⲩϯⲗⲁⲩⲉ
ⲛⲁ ϩⲓⲱⲩ ϣⲁⲧⲉⲛⲟⲩ

'… my deceased husband gave some corn to the priest of Apa Shenetom and (to) Sakau, (son) of Joui, and they sowed it in the field. They have so far not given me anything for it.'

(Text and trans. W. E. Crum, slightly modified)

History

Evidence ID

E02439

Saint Name

Apa Shenetom of Luxor : S01220

Saint Name in Source

ⲁⲡⲁ ϣⲉⲛⲉⲧⲱⲙ

Type of Evidence

Documentary texts - Letter Late antique original manuscripts - Ostracon/Pot-sherd

Language

  • Coptic

Evidence not before

550

Evidence not after

650

Activity not before

550

Activity not after

650

Place of Evidence - Region

Egypt and Cyrenaica

Place of Evidence - City, village, etc

Thebes

Place of evidence - City name in other Language(s)

Thebes Hermopolis ϣⲙⲟⲩⲛ Ashmunein Hermopolis

Cult activities - Places

Cult building - unspecified

Source

This ostracon was found in building E of the monastery of Epiphanius and is now housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, MMA 14.1.166. The text has been dated on palaeographical grounds.

Discussion

This Shenetom occurs in two another documents mentioning a feast, a place, and a canon for Apa Shenetom, see E02450 and E02451.

Bibliography

Text and Translation: Crum, W.E., and Evelyn White, H.G., The Monastery of Epiphanius at Thebes, Part II (The Metropolitan Museum of Art Egyptian Expedition; New York, 1926), p. 78 (text), p. 233–234 (trans.). Mention of saint: Papaconstantinou, A., Le culte des saints en Égypte des Byzantins aux Abbassides (Paris, 2001), 224–225.

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    Evidence -  The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

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