The same ancient text or artifact as recorded by 2 records across 2 independent projects, recognised as one entity by its TM-Text identifier. View on Trismegistos →
Fragmentary Coptic letter on an ostracon from the Theban region, written by a man named John (Ioannes). He complains of being held back, invokes God as witness several times, and urgently asks the recipient to send someone or something as soon as the sherd arrives.
The text is badly damaged and many readings are uncertain, so the translation is only a rough guide. The writer refers to the ostracon itself as the 'sherd' that will reach the recipient.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below. It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.
[external side] … ⲉⲛ … ⲉⲡ … … ⲛⲛⲏ ⲥⲛⲏⲩ ⲙⲛⲧ…ⲱϫⲉ ⲉⲓⲥ ϩⲏⲧⲉ ⲁⲓϣⲧⲱⲣⲉ ⲙⲙⲁⲩ ⲉⲧⲟⲧϥ ⲛ… … ⲁⲥ ⲉⲥϫⲟⲉⲓⲧ ⲉⲣⲟⲓ … ⲛⲧⲉϫⲟⲟⲩⲥⲟⲩ ϣⲏ ⲛⲏⲓ ⲛⲧⲁϭⲛ ⲧⲕⲟⲩϫⲟⲩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛⲧⲁⲧⲓⲧⲕⲟⲩⲡⲏ ϣⲏⲙ ϫⲉ ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ ϫⲉ ⲁⲓⲱⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ ϣⲉ ⲛⲏϥ ⲉⲛϩⲏⲧ ⲉⲛⲉⲛⲧⲁϥⲙⲟⲟϣⲉ ⲛⲥⲁⲩⲛⲉ ⲁⲥⲉⲓ ⲁⲥϩⲓⲧ ⲉⲡ…ⲟⲩⲓ ⲁⲥϫ…ⲧ ⲉⲣⲟⲓ ⲙⲁⲥⲕⲁⲓ ⲉⲉⲓ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛⲧⲟⲩϣ…ⲟⲩⲧ ϫⲉ ⲧⲁⲙⲛⲧ… ⲡⲛⲟ…
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