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E05929: Coptic document from Deir el-Bahari (Upper Egypt) preserving the oath sworn at a shine, possibly that of *Phoibammon (soldier and martyr of Assiut, S00080), in the presence of the head of the village, to settle a financial dispute; dated 17 March 701.

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posted on 2018-07-09, 00:00 authored by gschenke
O.Crum 131

This oath is sworn by a woman named Susanna acknowledging the sanctity and power of the shrine (topos) where she swears her oath to her son Peter in the presence of the village head, stating that her son Pses has not received any financial gifts other than a gold coin on the occasion of his marriage.

               + ϣⲉ ⲡⲉⲓⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ
                  ϣⲉ ⲧⲉϥϭⲟⲙ ⲙⲡⲉⲓϯ ⲗⲁⲩⲉ ⲛⲯⲏⲥ
                  ⲡⲁϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲟⲩⲇⲉ ⲙⲡⲉ ⲡⲉϥⲉⲓⲱⲧ ϯ ⲛⲁϥ
         4       ⲉⲓⲙⲏⲧⲓ ⲉⲩϩⲟⲗⲟⲕ(ⲟⲧⲧⲓⲛⲟⲥ) ⲛⲟⲣⲑⲟⲛ ⲙⲙⲁⲧⲉ
                  ϩⲁ ⲥⲭⲁⲧ ἔγρα(ψεν) Φαμενωθ κα ἰνδ(ικτίονος) τεσσαρεσκαι-
                  δεκάτης ⳨ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲁⲛⲁϣ ⲛⲧⲁ ⲥⲟⲩⲥⲁⲛⲛⲁ
                  ⲟⲣⲕϥ ⲛⲥⲁ ⲡⲉⲧⲣⲟⲥ ⲡⲉⲥϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲉⲡⲓ ⲍⲁⲭⲁⲣⲓⲁ
         8       ⲥⲁⲙⲟⲩⲏⲗⲓⲟⲩ ⲧⲟⲩ ⲧⲓⲙⲓⲱⲧ(ⲁⲧⲟⲩ) ⲡⲣⲱⲧⲟⲕⲟⲙⲏⲧⲟⲩ +


“By this holy shrine (topos) and by its power, I have not given anything to my son Pses, nor has his father given anything to him, except for only a complete solidus for the marriage gift. Written on day 21 of Phamenoth, indiction 14. This is the oath which Susanna has sworn to her son Petros, before Zacharia (son of) Samuelios, the most honourable village head.”

(Text: W. E. Crum; trans.: G. Schenke)

History

Evidence ID

E05929

Saint Name

Phoibammon, soldier and martyr of Assiut : S00080

Type of Evidence

Late antique original manuscripts - Ostracon/Pot-sherd Documentary texts - Other private document

Language

  • Coptic

Evidence not before

701

Evidence not after

701

Activity not before

701

Activity not after

701

Place of Evidence - Region

Egypt and Cyrenaica

Place of Evidence - City, village, etc

Deir el-Bahari

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

Deir el-Bahari Hermopolis ϣⲙⲟⲩⲛ Ashmunein Hermopolis

Cult activities - Places

Cult building - unspecified

Cult activities - Non Liturgical Practices and Customs

Oath

Source

The ostracon is kept at the British Museum in London.

Discussion

For an oath sworn by the power of saint Apa Phoibammon concerning a financial dispute, see E05703.

Bibliography

Text and translation: Crum, W.E., Coptic Ostraca from the Collections of the Egypt Exploration Fund (London, 1902), pp. 27 and 28. = O.Crum German translation: Till, W.C., Die Koptischen Rechtsurkunden aus Theben (Vienna, 1964), 49.

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    Evidence -  The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

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