Description:

**First Time At Auction**

Egypt, Ptolemaic to Roman periods, ca. 332 to 30 BCE. A singular papyrus fragment, fragile in nature and beige-hued, with Greek writing thoughout. After Alexander the Great conquired Egypt in 332 BCE, he introduced the Greek language, which was used as the language of official documents until after 600 CE. Such a fragment could be from tax rolls or receipts, census records, private records of sales, leases, loans, marriage contracts, or contracts of apprenticeship. The neat, orderly, and evenly-spaced handwriting further emphaizes that these sections probably came from official documents. Frame and mat included. Size: 1.125" W x 2" H (2.9 cm x 5.1 cm); Size of frame: 5.125" W x 6.125" H (13 cm x 15.6 cm).

For many centuries, papyrus was the most important writing material in the Classical and Mediterranean world, replacing clay tablets. The reeds used to make it grow mainly in Egypt, and the Greco-Roman world had to import them. They were manufactured in long rolls that could measure 7 to 15 inches in height and be up to 100 feet long. In this example, you can see the crisscrossing horizontal and vertical fibers that make up the papyri.

Provenance: Ritterbush collection, Thousand Oaks, California, USA

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#119013

  • Condition: Fragmentary as shown, and writing is still visible.

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June 26, 2017 9:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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