History and find spot:Through a donation of the Society of Friends and Sponsors of the University of Munich, the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and, most significantly, of the banker, classical philologist and art collector
James Loeb,
Spiegelberg was able to acquire the so-called Loeb-Papyri in January 1927 from the well-known antique dealer Maurice Nahman in Cairo. These papyri were presented in the same year by
Loeb as a gift to the papyri collection of the Egyptological Institute of the University of Munich (
Spiegelberg, Papyri LoebSpiegelberg, W., Die demotischen Papyri Loeb (Papyri der Universität München 1; München, 1931)., V;
Hagen / Ryholt, Antiquities TradeHagen, F. 7 Ryholt; K., The Antiquities Trade in Egypt 1880-1930. The H.O. Lange Papers (Scientia Danica : Series H, Humanistica, 4 ; vol. 8; Copenhagen, 1962)., 65).A convolute of these Loeb-Papyri, to which also P. Loeb 5 belongs, originates from
Tehene - Hakoris (
Spiegelberg, Papyri LoebSpiegelberg, W., Die demotischen Papyri Loeb (Papyri der Universität München 1; München, 1931)., IX-X.). The P. Loeb 5 (TM 43378; BC 308 Mar 8?) was found together with P. Loeb 4 (TM 43380; BC 308 Nov 8) and P. Loeb 6 (TM 43381; BC 308 Nov 8), (
Spiegelberg, Papyri LoebSpiegelberg, W., Die demotischen Papyri Loeb (Papyri der Universität München 1; München, 1931)., 9-11;
Seidl, SAK 6Seidl, E., 'Studien zu Urkunden aus der Satrapenzeit Ptolemaios‘I.', Studien zur altägyptischen Kultur 6 (1978), 177-184., 177-179). All three papyri were still closed and sealed with clay. The seals of P. Loeb 4 and P. Loeb 6 showed the same stamp imprint, which could not be read until now. The seal of P. Loeb 5 was not stamped.
So far the Loeb-Papyri 4-9, 11, 14, 17-18, 20-22 and 57 have been assigned to the ancient private archive of
Osor-cha from Tehene (
Seidl, Ptolemaic legal historySeidl, E. , Ptolemaic legal history (Egyptolgische Forschungen 22; Glückstadt, 1962)., 44). The assumption of a private archive of Osor-cha is implausible for some reasons. At first, there are several different persons in the papyri Osor-cha: Osor-cha son of Achoapis, Osor-cha son of Auibre and a decree writer Osor-cha, whose father is not mentioned. Furthermore, the Papyri Loeb 4-6 were found, as mentioned, rolled up and sealed together. These letters, which refer to a conflict over 10 aroura of farmland, were written by Osor-cha son of Achoapis, and sent to the responsible overseers of the farmland. These three letters (P. Loeb 4-6) are not copies but the original correspondence. So why should these letters be deposited in the archive of Osor-cha? The last reason to reject a private archive of Osor-cha, is that the other Loeb-Papyri, which originates from Tehene and does not mention an Osor-cha, are more or less all connected with processes of agricultural administration. Thus it would rather be assumed that the Loeb-Papyri from Tehene were originally collected in a temple archive (I would like to thank
Quack for the information).
Materiality:The letter of P. Loeb 5 has the usual letter layout of an upright standing trapezoidal rectangle (height: 38,5 cm; width: 7.1 cm (top) - 5.6 (bottom)). It is not transverse labelled because it possesses a vertical
kollesis (left on top of right) immediately at the left margin.
Textlayout:On the recto, the inscription of P. Loeb 5 starts 3 cm below the upper edge of the papyrus sheet. The address is situated at the lower edge of the verso about 4 cm below the inscription and 3 cm above the lower edge. The recto must be turned vertically to the verso.
Text summary and dating:The Papyri Loeb 4-6, which were found together as sealed rolls, and also P. Loeb 22 concern a conflict over 10 aroura of arable land in the domain of Sobek, which was actually owned by Osor-cha, son of Achoapis, who probably lived north of Tehene. This arable land was either unlawfully claimed by the farmer Pemsais (P. Loeb 5.17 rto and P. Loeb 6.15-16, in P. Loeb 5.37-38 and P. Loeb 4.13 rto referred to as "lepra" and "drunkard"), or the farmland was not legitimately assigned to Pseminis by the overseer of the fields.
Because of this matter Osor-cha writes a letter (P. Loeb 5) to the responsible official Achoapis (title lost) in the year 9, 1st (month) of the Peret?, (day) 1st, referring to an earlier letter of complaint to the responsible overseer of the field (name??). In this letter, he explains another time that the 10 acres of arable land were given to him by oath, and asks Achoapis to prevent his arable land from being left to the drunken and leprous farmer Pemsais.
Since this conflict has still not been settled by the temple administration, Osor-cha wrote three letters of complaint in the year 10, 1st (month) of the Achet, (day) 1.
Unfortunately, the addressee of the letter of complaint P. Loeb 6 remains unknown. However, he probably held a higher administrative position. In it, Osor-cha describes that he have had 10 acres of arable land in the domain of Sobek, which he had cultivated and planted. Now Pemsais, son of Harsiese, had simply taken over the field and its cultivation for another year, although Osor-cha had written to the Lesonis of the Sobek temple, Horos, early on, that he himself wanted to continue to use this arable land, and this had already been assured to him. With the remark that he would pay the harvest tax regularly, but this simple farmer Pemsais never, Osor-cha asks the recipient of the letter to assign him the land.
The letter of complaint P. Loeb 22 was addressed to Teos (overseer of the fields). In this letter, he asks Teos to prevent that his field, the farmer (Pemsais), is awarded to him. He announced that he would come to the south until the 1st (month) of the Achet, day 9, to deliver 20 Deben of silver to Teos for this field.
The letter of complaint P. Loeb 22 was addressed to Teos (overseer of the fields). In this letter, he asks Teos to prevent that his field was assigned to Pemsais. He announced that he would come to the south until the 1st (month) of the Achet, (day) 9, to pay 20 Deben of silver to Teos for this field.
A further letter of complaint was sent to the lector priest Phatres (Fr. Loeb 4). In this letter, Osor-cha admonishes the lector priest to finally solve this matter in his favour. Furthermore, he asks Phatres whether the overseer of the field could be bribed with the harvest tax. In the postscript of this letter (P. Loeb 4.33-38 = vso 9-14), Osor-cha himself indicates that he would like to bring "good jars" to Phatres and the head of the field Teos at his next visit.
Regarding the assignment of the letter to the reign of the young Alexander IV.:
Spiegelberg, Papyri LoebSpiegelberg, W., Die demotischen Papyri Loeb (Papyri der Universität München 1; München, 1931)., X with n. 15;
Seidl, SAK 6Seidl, E., 'Studien zu Urkunden aus der Satrapenzeit Ptolemaios‘I.', Studien zur altägyptischen Kultur 6 (1978), 177-184., 179.
(1) ỉ.ỉr-ḥr ꜥnḫ-ḥp [pꜣ ... ...]
(2) tw⸗y ỉri̯ nꜣy⸗k ⸢smꜣꜥ.w⸣
(3) m-bꜣḥ Sbk wn wꜥ ⸢bꜣk⸣
(4) r:ỉri̯⸗y <s> ỉ.ỉr-ḥr pꜣ ⸢ỉmỉ-rʾ-ꜣḥ⸣
(5) my ꜥš⸗f s ⸢my⸣
(6) ỉri̯⸗w r-ẖ.t md.t nb r:⸢hb⸗y⸣
(7) ỉ.ỉr-ḥr pꜣ ỉmỉ-rʾ-ꜣḥ ⸢n.ỉm⸗w⸣
(8) ỉri̯⸗w ꜥnḫ <n> nꜣ rmṯ.w⸣
(9) n dmy r ḫꜣꜥ⸗w ⸢ỉ.ỉr⸣-ḥr
(10) rmṯ s 18 r pꜣ ⸢škr⸣
(11) m-ỉri̯ ḏi̯.t šb⸗w s ⸢mtw⸣⸗y
(12) rḫ hb n ⸢Ḏd-ḥr pꜣ ỉmỉ-rʾ-ꜣḥ⸣
(13) n md.t n pꜣy⸗ỉ ꜥš-⸢sḥn⸣
(14) wn-m-tw=y (sṯꜣ.t) 10 ꜣḥ
(15) ẖn pꜣ ⸢ḥtp⸣-nṯr ⸢Sbk⸣
(16) wn wꜥ w(y)ꜥ mtw⸗w
(17) ḏd⸗f Pꜣ-msḥ ⸢sꜣ ?...?⸣
(18) wḫꜣ n⸗w ⸢mlẖ⸣
(19) my ḥn⸗w ⸢s r ḏi̯.t⸣
(20) hb⸗w n Pꜣ-ḏi̯-ꜣs.t
(21) sꜣ Pꜣ-ỉwỉw ỉrm
(22) pꜣ ỉmỉ-rʾ-šni̯ Sbk ⸢ḏd⸣
(23) m-ỉri̯ ḏi̯.t sh̭
(24) w(y)ꜥ rmṯ n ⸢pꜣ tꜣ⸣
(25) r ꜣḥ ỉs ⸢Wsỉr-ḫꜥ⸣
(26) bn.ỉw⸗y tb⸢ḥ⸣
(27 = vso 1) n tꜣy⸗y ⸢?n pꜣ ?...?⸣
(28 = vso 2) ntỉ-ỉ:ỉri̯ pꜣ ⸢ỉmỉ-rʾ-ꜣḥ r ỉri̯⸗f⸣
(29 = vso 3) tỉ r ḏi̯.t ⸢nḫṱ.t⸣
(30 = vso 4) n Ḏd-ḥr ⸢pꜣ ỉmỉ-rʾ-ꜣḥ⸣
(31 = vso 5) tẖy⸗w ⸢m-bꜣḥ Sbk⸣
(32 = vso 6) my ⸢nḫt⸗w s⸣
(33 = vso 7) ẖr.r.r⸗w ⸢m-šs⸣
(34 = vso 8) tꜣ ntỉ.ỉw⸗w ⸢ỉri̯ n⸗ỉ n⸣
(35 = vso 9) pꜣy⸗ỉ ⸢ꜥš-sḥn⸣
(36 = vso 10) bn.ỉw⸗s ⸢ꜣḳ⸣
(37 = vso 11) pꜣ rmṯ (n)-rn⸗f ỉw⸢⸗f ẖr⸣
(38 = vso 12) sḥḏ ỉw⸗f ỉyi̯
(39 = vso 13) r Ḫmn.w m-ỉri̯ ḏi̯.t
(40 = vso 14) sḏm⸗w ḫrw⸗f (n) ⸢md.t⸣
(41 = vso 15) pꜣ tꜣ bw-⸢ỉri̯⸗f ḥwy⸗w⸣
(42 = vso 16) ḏi̯⸗y ỉwi̯.w r-⸢?...?-nꜣỉ⸣
(43 = vso 17) ỉrm wꜥ.t hm(.t) ⸢ỉrm⸣
(44 = vso 18) pꜣỉ ḥnw ⸢ỉ.ỉr-ḥr ?...?⸣
(45 = vso 19) my hb⸗w n Pꜣ-ḏi̯-ꜣs.t
(46 = vso 20) r-ḏbꜣ nꜣ ꜣḥ(.w) md.t ⸢ꜥꜣ(.t)⸣
(47 = vso 21) tꜣỉ sẖꜣ bꜣk ⸢Wsỉr-ḫꜥ⸣
(48 = vso 22) (sꜣ) ꜥnḫ-ḥp ḥsb.t 9 (ꜣbd) 1 ⸢?pr.t? (sw) 1⸣
□□□□□
(49 = vso 23) ỉ.ỉr-ḥr □□□ ⸢ꜥnḫ⸣[-ḥp]
(1) An Achoapis, [den ... ...]
(2) Ich ⸢grüße⸣ dich
(3) vor Sobek. Es gibt einen Brief,
(4) den ich dem ⸢Ackervorsteher⸣ geschrieben habe.
(5) Möge er ihn lesen! ⸢Möge⸣
(6) man gemäß jeder Sache handeln, über die ⸢ich⸣
(7) an den Ackervorsteher ⸢geschrieben habe⸣!
(8) Man hat einen Eid geleistet ⸢den Menschen⸣
(9) der Stadt, um sie zuzuweisen ⸢z⸣u
(10) 18 Personen bezüglich der ⸢Steuer⸣.
(11) Lass nicht zu, dass man es ändert, ⸢und⸣ ich
(12) kann an ⸢Teos, den Ackervorsteher⸣ schreiben
(13) in der Sache meiner Angele⸢genheit⸣.
(14) Ich habe 10 (Aruren) Akerland
(15) in der ⸢Dom⸣äne des ⸢Sobek⸣.
(16) Ein Bauer, den man
(17) Pemsais, ⸢Sohn des ?...?⸣ nennt,
(18) sucht für sie ⸢Streit⸣.
(19) Möge man anordnen, ⸢zu veranlassen,⸣
(20) dass man an Peteesis schreibt,
(21) dem Sohn des Peeus sowie
(22) (an) den Lesonis des Sobek ⸢mit den Worten⸣:
(23) "Lass nicht zu, dass
(24) ein Bauer (oder sonst) irgendjemand ⸢auf der Erde⸣ Einspruch erhebt
(25) gegen Ackerland, das dem ⸢Osor-cha⸣ gehört!
(26) Ich werde nicht bitt⸢en⸣
(27 = vso 1) um das Meinige ⸢?in dem ?...?⸣,
(28 = vso 2) das der ⸢Ackervorsteher⸣ hier ⸢machen wird⸣,
(29 = vso 3) um ⸢Protektion⸣ zu geben
(30 = vso 4) dem Teos, ⸢dem Ackervorsteher⸣
(31 = vso 5) Sie waren ⸢vor Sobek⸣ betrunken.
(32 = vso 6) Möge ⸢man ihn sehr schützen⸣
(33 = vso 7) vor ihnen.
(34 = vso 8) Das, was man ⸢für mich macht in⸣
(35 = vso 9) meiner ⸢Angelegenheit⸣,
(36 = vso 10) das wird nicht ⸢verlorengehen⸣.
(37 = vso 11) Der besagte Mann lei⸢det an⸣
(38 = vso 12) Aussatz. Wenn er
(39 = vso 13) Wenn er nach Hermopolis geht, dann lasst nicht zu,
(40 = vso 14) dass man auf seine Stimme (in) irgendeiner ⸢Sache⸣ hört,
(41 = vso 15) damit ⸢er sie nicht ?schlägt/infiziert?.⸣
(42 = vso 16) Ich bin hier⸢her⸣ gekommen
(43 = vso 17) mit einem Frachtlohn ⸢sowie⸣
(44 = vso 18) diesem Krug ⸢für ?...?⸣
(45 = vso 19) Möge man Peteesis schreiben
(46 = vso 20) wegen der Äcker. Das ist eine ⸢wichtige⸣ Sache.
(47 = vso 21) Geschrieben von Diener ⸢Osor-cha⸣,
(48 = vso 22) (Sohn des) Achoapis (im) Jahr 9, 1. (Monat) ⸢des ?Peret?, (Tag) 1⸣.
□□□□□
(49 = vso 23) An □□□ ⸢Acho⸣[apis]