papyrus find in the Western Desert in Egypt

From: Brian E. Wilson (brian@twonh.demon.co.uk)
Date: Mon Feb 02 1998 - 07:23:42 EST


Tom Simms wrote:
Heard a news item this hour on Papyrus find in the Western Desert
circa 4th C CE. Any more details?

>The following "Ceefax" bulletin is on our UK national TV news service -
>
>Canadian archaeologists have unearthed some 2,000 papyrus scrolls that
>date to the era when ancient Rome AND ANCIENT GREECE ruled Egypt.
>
>These scrolls, unearthed in Egypt's western Desert, are in good shape
>and date to the 4th century or earlier. Some are religious documents;
>others are marriage or business contracts.
>
>One archaeologist said it was the most important find in decades of
>papyri belonging to the Roman and Greek periods.

As I understand it, the ancient Greeks ruled Egypt before the ancient
Romans. Also, codices, rather than scrolls, were in use by the 4th
century CE. It seems to me, therefore, that "4th century or earlier"
means 4th century BEFORE CE or earlier - over 2,300 years ago.

It would be fascinating if old copies of parts of the LXX, or even the
whole of it, are part of this find. We can but hope.

Best wishes,
BRIAN WILSON



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