History and find spot:
O. MMA 21.2.122 (TM 471) was acquired by Newberry in 1897 at the antique market in Luxor (Spiegelberg, Demotica ISpiegelberg, W., Demotica I (Sitzungsberichte der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften. Philosophisch-philologische und historische Klasse 1925-6; München, 1925)., Nr. 18, 44)and was part of the Amherst collection. It was purchased by the Metropolitan Museum at the Amherst sale, Sotheby's London, 1921.
It is evident from the content of the text that the ostracon comes from Pathyris.
Materiality:
It is a fragment of a vessel-body of centred-radial technique. The surface is roughly smoothed before firing (groove guide visible). Measurements: height 17 cm, width 18.4 cm, thickness 1cm (MMA: O. MMA 21.2.122The Met Collection online.). The inscription runs against the horizontal direction of rotation of the vessel.
Text summary:
The text concerns a dispute between Asclepiades alias Patseous and Aretaios, the legal clarification of which, as is frequently documented, was to be brought about with the support of temple oaths by the two parties. The text of O. MMA 21.2.122 documents the relevant temple oath of Asclepiades alias Patseous, which was deposited in the temple of Pathyris. This suggests that at least Patseous was resident in Pathyris. Both parties are cloth or garment merchants, as a group of people working for the merchants are named for both parties. The dispute concerns a consignment of textiles/clothing that Asklepiades alias Patseous received from Aretaios to sell on a commission basis. However, Asklepiades alias Patseous only sold part of this consignment. He therefore returned the remaining textiles/clothing to Aretaios' employees and also refunded all the money he or his employees had received from the sale. The text of the oath shows that the remaining textiles/clothes were probably stolen from the hands of Aretaios' employees and that the proceeds repaid by Asclepiades alias Patseous did not reach the hands of Aretaios. The latter, for his part, held Asclepiades alias Patseous liable and accused him of embezzlement. Asclepiades alias Patseous swore that he had rightfully returned everything and that neither he nor his employees were to blame for this case. On the contrary, he accuses Orseuis, an employee of Aretaios, whom he had instructed to return the textiles/clothes and probably also the money to Aretaios, of embezzlement.
The temple oath dates to regnal year 44, 3^rd ꜣḫ.t, day 14 of Ptolemy VIII and Cleopatra III (both not named, BC 127 Dec 6).