Journal Article

Four Ostraca from Thebes

Aly, Magdy A. I

2019

Overview

This study presents a detailed examination of four ostraca discovered in Thebes, offering both textual and contextual analysis. Magdy A. I. Aly documents these ceramic fragments-used in antiquity as writing surfaces for daily and administrative purposes-dating them to the Ptolemaic and Roman periods. Each ostracon is described in terms of its physical characteristics, script, and preservation, followed by a transliteration and commentary on the Greek inscriptions. The texts include tax receipts, financial transactions, and short administrative notes, revealing insights into the bureaucratic mechanisms of local governance. The study situates the use of ostraca within the broader material culture of ancient Egypt, emphasizing their practical role as accessible substitutes for papyrus. Comparative analysis with other Theban and Oxyrhynchite ostraca highlights variations in handwriting, formulaic language, and administrative function. The paper concludes that these fragments constitute invaluable evidence of everyday literacy and the hybrid administrative practices that emerged from the intersection of Egyptian and Greco-Roman traditions. Abstract Written by Dar AlMandumh, 2025, Using AI

• Publisher: جامعة القاهرة - كلية الآداب - قسم الدراسات اليونانية واللاتينية
• Subject: الآثار القديمة / الحفظ والترميم / مصر / مقتنيات المتاحف