Beschreibung:

Fragments of two letters in Greek, manuscripts on papyrus [Egypt, fourth or fifth and sixth century AD. respectively] Two fragments of papyrus sheets: (a) letter from Phoibammon to his father Didymus, 12 lines in Greek cursive, written across the fibres, small holes, wear from folds, overall fair, fourth or fifth century, 150 by 75mm.; (b) letter by a writer who lived in Cynopolis ('city of the dog', the site of an Anubis cult in antiquity), 4 lines in Greek cursive plus two letters remaining from fifth line, small holes, once broken laterally across middle, and laid down on another papyrus sheet to stabilise, overall fair condition, sixth century, 105 by 65mm.; both set in Perspex Provenance: Erik von Scherling (1907-1956), dealer based in Leiden, his MSS. G55 and G502; almost certainly acquired from his "Egyptian correspondent" in the early 1930s or directly by him in Egypt during his manuscript collecting trip to Cairo in 1934-1935. Catalogued for him by the papyrus scholar E.P. Wegener (1908-1958), and with photocopies of those handwritten transcriptions and notes. These items passing after von Scherling's sudden and untimely death in 1956 to Maggs Bros. of London, and acquired by the present owner from them in the early 1990s. Text: The first item here opens "To my lord and esteemed father Didymus from Phoibammon. As soon as you have received my letter please do not bother them on my account. I have received it, my lord father. I pray that you are in lasting health, my lord father".