Roger Pearse

People,

The Polish team who found three manuscripts in a dig at Qurna near Luxor in Egypt have now announced what they found. I've placed the report here.

In brief, it consists of a Coptic translation of Isaiah, an 8th century ecclesiastical code (of ps.Basil), and a life of St. Pistenios. The first was on parchment and later than the other two, which were 7-8th century and papyrus books.

The books were in their original wood and leather bindings, which were supported by reused bits of parchment. These contain part of "the sufferings of St. Peter" apocryphon; an unidentified religious text; and some tax bills.

The report appears on a Polish site, and I saw mention of this when I stumbled across Chris Weimer's site.

All the best,

Roger Pearse

Roger Pearse

Pistentios or Pistentius was a 6th century bishop of Coptos.

Chris Weimer

I'm still rather irked that it took this long for even a word to get out. A (near) full Coptic Isaiah is still remarkable news, and now a new αποκρυφον του αποστολου.

Roger Pearse

Me too. Do we know that it is a new apocryphon, rather than a page from an existing one?

Apparently there is a list by J.M.Robinson of all recent finds in the reprint of Crum's Coptic Dictionary, which probably includes all sorts of stuff. But I can't find any copy of this in the UK.

All the best,

Roger Pearse