Jennifer Cromwell and Luigi Prada On 20th April, either 202 or 178 BCE, an embalmer named Onnophris wrote to Machatas, an official (epistates) in the village of Tanis in the Fayum semi-oasis, concerning kittens he had donated to the cat-goddess Bastet (also known by her Greek name of Boubastis), or at least had intended toContinue reading “Kittens for Bastet”
Tag Archives: priests
Living (and Dying) in Interesting Times
Luigi Prada At the age of 21 years and 29 days, the sistrum-player Kheredankh died. A fragment of her funerary stela survives and is today housed in the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology in London. Originally, this stela would have been a remarkable artefact of very fine craftsmanship, with a representation of the deceased inContinue reading “Living (and Dying) in Interesting Times”
Pay After Reading: The Cost of Education in Late Antique Egyptian Villages
Jennifer Cromwell In the ancient world, education – learning to read and write – wasn’t a right and was accessible by only a small number of people. Only 5–10% of the population was literate. But what does this mean, what constitutes being literate? Does being able to write basic sentences fit the bill, or do you needContinue reading “Pay After Reading: The Cost of Education in Late Antique Egyptian Villages”
Papyrus Stories 