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KYPRIANOS M788

Sigla: question mark icon Modern names for the manuscript, including inventory and publication numbers.

PGM LVII + PGM LXXII
Ann Arbor, Michigan University, Library P. 534 + Oslo, University Library P. 365
P. Oslo III 75
P. Oslo 3 75

Category: question mark icon Classification of the contents, e.g. magical (formulary or applied), alchemical, liturgical, documentary or medical.

Magical (formulary)

Contents:

1. Ro col. 1 ll. 1-37, col. 2 ll. 1-38: Love/favour spell (?) invoking Isis
2. Vo ll. 1-5: Unclear (fragmentary)

See all texts in this manuscript.

Language(s):

Greek

Script(s):

Cipher (Greek)

Dialect:
Language/dialect notes:
Date: question mark icon Dates are CE unless preceded by a minus sign <->, in which case they are BCE. 101 – 200
Date notes:

GEMF dating. Documentary text which has been used to reinforce the back dates to the reign of Hadrian (either 117 or 131), but it is unclear whether the magical text is older or younger than the documentary text.

Archive/collection: question mark icon Larger collection to which manuscript belongs.
Archive name:
State of edition:

Published

Image: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/api/image/apis/X-2437/534R.TIF/full/large/0/native.jpg

Form:

Roll

Material:

Papyrus

Dimensions (cm): Height: 28.8 Width: 30.4 Depth:
Dimensions (notes):

P.Oslo: H. 14 x W. 9.3 cm; P.Mich.: H. 28.8 x W. 21.1 cm

Folding pattern:
State of preservation:

Fragmentary, three pieces. Right margin intact, all other margins lost.

Pages/Columns: question mark icon Total surviving columns in the manuscript for rolls, sheets and rotuli; total number of pages for codices.

3

Pages/Columns (notes):

2 surviving columns on recto (→), 1 column verso (↓) written at 90 degrees to the recto. Document containing two census declarations (117 and 131 CE) has been affixed to the back.

Hand:

Findspot:

Egypt (?)

(TM places ID: 49)
Place of purchase: (TM places ID: )
Writingspot:

Egypt (?)

(TM places ID: 49)
Present Location:

Ann Arbor, Michigan University, Library
Oslo, University Library

Collection History:

Michigan fragment acquired in Egypt by Francis W. Kelsey in 1920 for the University of Michigan, Oslo fragment acquired later that year (in autumn) by Samson Eitrem for the University of Oslo (GEMF).

Trismegistos collection: question mark icon Page on the database Trismegistos collections for the institution which currently houses the manuscript. 26212
Collection website: https://ub-baser.uio.no/opes/record/240?q=inv_no+contains+365

Notes/Discussion:

Document containing two census declarations (117 and 131 CE) has been affixed to the back.

P.Oslo inv. 365 = P.Oslo III 75, PGM
LXXII)

P.Mich. 534 = PGM LVII

Bibiliography
Editions:

Eitrem, Samson. “Fragment of a Greek Cryptogram in the Oslo Collection,” in Mélanges Maspero 2. Orient grec, romain et byzantin (MIFAO 67). Cairo: IFAO, p. 113-117.

Eitrem, Samson and Leiv Amundsen, Papyri Osloenses III (P. Oslo III). Oslo: Det Norske Videnskaps-Akademi i Oslo, 1936, p. 113-117, no. 75.

Hunt, Arthur S. “A Greek Cryptogram”, Proceedings of the British Academy 15 (1929): 4-10.

Merkelbach, Reinhold, and Totti, Maria. Abrasax. Ausgewählte Papyri religiösen und magischen Inhalts. Vol. II: Gebete (Fortsetzung) (Sonderreihe Papyrologica Coloniensia 17). Opladen: Westdeutscher. Verlag, 1991, p. 83-96.

Preisendanz, Karl, and Albert Henrichs. Papyri Graecae Magicae: Die Griechischen Zauberpapyri. Vol 2. Stuttgart: Teubner, 1974, p. 184-186, 204, nos. 57, 72


Translations:

Betz, Hans D. The Greek Magical Papyri in Translation. Including the Demotic Spells. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1986, p. 284-285, 298, nos. 57, 72.

Calvo Martínez, José Luis, and Dolores Sánchez Romero. Textos de Magia en Papiros Griegos. Biblioteca Clásica Gredos. Madrid: Editorial Gredos, 1987, p. 367-368, 388, nos. 57, 72.

Festugière, André-Jean. L’idéal religieux des Grecs et l’Évangile, 1932, p. 322-324 (French).


General:

Bajnok, Dániel and Dóra Pataricza. “Comments upon Two Fragments of a Cryptographic Papyrus”, Acta Antiqua, 43 (2003): 345-354.

Nock, Arthur Darby. “Bibliography: Graeco-Roman Egypt. A. Papyri (1928-1929)”, Journal of Egyptian Archeology 16.1/2 (1930): 124.

Nock, Arthur Darby. “Greek Magical Papyri” Journal of Egyptian Archeology 15.3/4 (1929): 219-235.

Nock, Arthur Darby. “Review of Arthur S. Hunt ‘A Greek Cryptogram’”, Classical Review 43.6 (1929a): 238.

Preisendanz, Karl. “Ein Papyrus in griechischer Geheimschrift”, Gnomon 5 (1929): 457-458.

Preisendanz, Karl. “Review of Arthur S. Hunt, A greek Cryptogram. From the Proceedings of the British Academy, Vol. XV. Communic. 19 June, 1929. 10 S. 4, 1 Taf.” Philologische Wochenschrift 49. Jahrg., no. 51 (1929): 1544-1549.


Trismegistos ID:

63589

PAThs:
PGM: question mark icon Papyri Gracae Magicae

57, 72

SM: question mark icon Supplementum Magicum GEMF: question mark icon Greek and Egyptian Magical Formularies (forthcoming) 8 ACM: question mark icon Ancient Christian Magic
Bélanger Sarrazin: question mark icon Bélanger-Sarrazin. “Catalogue des textes magiques coptes” AKZ: question mark icon Ausgewählte koptische Zaubertexte CBd: question mark icon Campbell-Bonner Magical Gems Database Mert.-Pack: question mark icon Mertens-Pack online database
Van H: question mark icon van Haelst, Catalogue des papyrus littéraires Bruyn-Dijkstra: question mark icon de Bruyn and Dijkstra, “Greek Amulets and Formularies (Checklist)" TheDefix: question mark icon Thesaurus Defixionum To Zodion:
Edit History:

KD (11/3/2019); KD (13/10/2020)


How to cite:
Korshi Dosoo, Edward O.D. Love & Markéta Preininger (chief editors). "KYP M788," Kyprianos Database of Ancient Ritual Texts and Objects, www.coptic-magic.phil.uni-wuerzburg.de/index.php/manuscript/kyp-m788. Accessed on 24/06/2025

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