KYP T-1670

KYPRIANOS DATABASE OF ANCIENT RITUAL TEXTS

KYPRIANOS T1670

Manuscript:	M302
Sigla:	BM EA 10391 London Hay 10391 BM Registration number 1868,1102.464 London Hay “Cookbook” Hay 1
Text no. Position of the text within the manuscript.	4
Coptic Scriptorium:
Date:	701 – 900

Text position:	Ro ll. 38-49
Type of text:	Bowl divination (magical, formulary)

Original title:
Original title (translated):
Conventional title:	Invocation for revelation

Language:	Egyptian (Coptic)
Dialect:	Sahidic (non-standard)
Script:	Coptic
Image:	https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/Y_EA10391

Text:

Translation:

Recto (grain/hair)

38. [ ca. 5 ]ⲁⲓ ⲁⲣ̅ⲁ̣̅ⲣ̅ⲁ̅ϥ ⲭⲁⲑⲧⲟⲩ ⲡⲉⲧⲁⲕⲁⲑⲑⲁ ⲧⲉⲓⲟⲥⲡⲥⲡ ϯⲡⲁⲣⲁⲣⲁⲕⲁⲗⲉ ⲙⲙ̣-
39. ⲱ[ⲧ]ⲛ̣ ⲡⲥⲩ̣ⲣⲟⲥ ⲁⲛⲃⲉⲣⲥⲁⲟⲩ ⲁⲣⲁⲣⲁϥ ⲕ̅ⲁ̅ⲧⲑⲟⲩ ⲡⲉⲧⲁⲕⲁⲑⲑⲁ ⲁⲣⲁⲣⲁϥ
40. ϫⲉⲕ̣[ⲁ]ⲥ̣ ⲉⲧⲉⲧⲛⲕⲁⲧⲁ̣ⲝⲓⲟⲩ ⲙⲙⲱⲧⲛ ⲛⲡⲟⲟⲩ ⲛⲧⲉⲧⲛⲕⲱ ⲛⲥⲱⲧⲛ ⲛⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ
41. ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉ̣[ⲧ]ⲉ̣ⲧ̣ⲛ̣ϣⲟⲟⲡ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ ⲛⲧⲉⲧⲛⲉⲓ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉϫⲛ ⲡⲉⲁⲡⲟⲧ ⲛⲙⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲧⲕⲏ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲛⲡⲁ-
42. ⲙⲧ̣ⲟ̣ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ̣ ⲛ̣ⲧ̣ⲉⲧⲛⲙⲟϩϥ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲛⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓⲛ ⲛⲑⲉ ⲛⲡⲣⲏ ⲙⲛ ⲡⲟϩ ⲛⲍ̄ ⲛⲕⲱⲃ ⲛⲥⲟⲡ ⲛⲧⲉⲧⲛ-
43. ⲙⲉϩ̣ ⲛⲁⲃⲁⲗ̣ ⲛ̣ⲁ̣ ⲡⲁⲑϩⲉⲱⲧⲏⲥ ⲛⲁ ⲡⲁⲑⲉⲱⲣⲓⲥⲧⲏⲥ ⲛⲟⲉⲓⲛ ⲕⲥⲕⲁⲥ ⲉⲧⲉⲧⲛⲁⲟⲩⲱ̣ⲛ̣ϩ̣
44. ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲙⲏⲥⲧⲏⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉⲓⲛⲁϣⲓⲛⲉ ⲛⲥⲱⲟⲩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲟⲧⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ ⲁⲓⲟ ⲁⲓⲟ ϫ̣[ⲉ ϯⲱⲣⲕ]
45. ⲉⲣⲱⲧⲛ ⲛⲡⲛⲟϭ ⲛⲣⲁⲛ ⲛⲙⲏⲧ ⲛⲫⲓⲱⲧ ⲉⲧⲉ ⲡⲉϥⲣⲁⲛ ⲡⲉ ⲁⲓⲟ ⲥⲁ [vacat] ⲃⲁⲱⲑ ϫ[ⲉ]
46. ⲉⲧⲉⲧⲛⲉⲓ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲛⲡⲟⲟⲩ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉϫⲛ ⲡⲉⲁⲡⲟⲧ ⲙⲙⲟⲩ ⲉⲧⲕⲏ̣ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲙ̣[ⲡⲁⲙⲧⲟ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ]
47. ⲛⲧⲉⲧⲛⲙⲟϩϥ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲛⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓⲛ ⲛⲑⲉ ⲛⲡⲣⲏ ⲙⲛ ⲡⲟϩ ⲛⲍ̅ ⲛⲕⲱⲃ ⲛⲥⲟⲡ ⲛ[ⲧⲉⲧⲛⲙⲉϩ]
48. ⲛⲁⲃⲁⲗ ⲛⲁ ⲡⲁⲑⲉⲱⲣⲓⲥⲧⲏⲥ ⲛⲟⲉⲓⲛ ⲛⲧⲉⲧⲛⲟⲩⲱⲛϩ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛⲙⲏⲥⲧⲏ̣[ⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲛ]ⲓ̣ⲙ̣
49. ⲉⲓⲛⲁϣⲓⲛⲉ ⲛ̣ⲥⲱϥ ⲁⲓⲟ ⲁⲓⲟ ϫⲉ ϯⲱⲣⲕ ⲉⲣⲱⲧⲛ ⲛⲛⲉⲧⲛⲣⲁⲛ ⲁⲡⲟⲗⲟⲅⲓⲁ ⲑ[⧹ⲩ⧸] ⲙ[ⲁⲥ]⧹ⲧⲉⲭⲏ⧸

[38] […]ai Araraf Khathtou Petakaththa, I entreat and I invoke [39] you (pl.), O Syrian (?) – Anbersaou Araraf Katthou Petakaththa Araraf – [40] that you deign today to leave every place [41] in which you are and come down upon this cup of water that is placed [42] before me and fill it for me with light like the sun and the moon, seven times more, and [43] fill my eyes, those of my scryer with light so that you will reveal [44] every mystery about which I will inquire of you, yea, yea, for [I adjure] [45] you by the great, true name of the Father, whose name is Aio Sabaoth, that [46] you come down for me today upon this cup of water that is placed [before me] [47] and fill it for me with light like the sun and the moon, seven times more, and [fill] [48] my eyes, those of my scryer, with light, and reveal to me every mystery [49] about which I shall inquire, yea, yea, for I adjure you by your names – request. Offering: mastic (?).

Tableau:
Tracing by:

Apparatus:

38. [ ca. 5 ]ⲁⲓ ⲁⲣ̅ⲁ̅ⲣ̅ⲁ̅ϥ Zellmann-Rohrer : [ … ] ⲁⲣ̅ⲁ̅ⲣ̅ⲁ̅ϥ Crum : [ . . . . . . . ] . . ⲁⲣⲁⲣⲁϥ Kropp, Frankfurter/Meyer | ⲧⲉⲓ̣ⲟⲥⲡⲥⲡ i.e. Sahidic ϯ-ⲥⲟⲡⲥⲡ : ⲧⲉⲥⲟⲥ̇ⲡⲥⲡ Kropp, with the dot over sigma indicating deletion : ⲧⲉⲥⲟⲥⲡⲥⲡ Zellmann-Rohrer | ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲣⲁⲕⲁⲗⲉ i.e. Greek παρακαλεῖν
39. ⲱ[ⲧ]ⲛ̣ : ⲱⲧ̣ⲛ̣ Zellmann-Rohrer : [ⲱⲧⲛ] Kropp, Crum | ⲡ-ⲥⲩⲣⲟⲥ i.e. Greek Σύρος : . . . . . ⲣⲟⲥ Kropp, Crum : transliterate Ponros Frankfurter/Meyer | ⲕ̅ⲁ̅ⲧⲑⲟⲩ ⲧ corrected from ⲟ by overwriting : ⲕ̅ⲁ̅ⲑⲑⲟⲩ ⲑ corrected from ⲧ Kropp
40. ϫⲉⲕ̣[ⲁ]ⲥ̣ : ⲱ̣ⲧ̣[ . . ] Crum, presumably reading previous line : [ . . . ] . . Kropp, Frankfurter/Meyer | ⲉⲛⲧⲉⲧⲛⲕⲁⲧⲁⲝⲓⲟⲩ i.e. Greek καταξιοῦν : ⲛⲧⲉⲧⲛⲕⲁⲧⲁⲝⲓⲟⲩ Kropp, Crum | ⲛⲡⲟⲟⲩ i.e. Sahidic ⲙ̅-ⲡⲟⲟⲩ | ⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ i.e. Greek τόπος | ⲛⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ [ⲛⲓⲙ] Kropp, Crum
41. [ⲉⲧ]ⲉⲧⲛϣⲟⲟⲡ Crum : [ⲉⲧⲉⲧⲛ]ϣⲟⲟⲡ Kropp | ⲡⲉⲁⲡⲟⲧ i.e. Sahidic ⲡⲉⲓ-ⲁⲡⲟⲧ |ⲛⲙⲟⲟⲩ i.e. Sahidic ⲙ̅ⲙⲟⲟⲩ
42. ⲙⲧⲟ̣ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ̣ ⲛ̣ⲧⲉⲧⲛⲙⲟϩϥ : ⲙⲧ[ⲟ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛⲧ]ⲉⲧⲛⲙⲟϩϥ Kropp, Crum | ⲛⲥⲟⲡ : ⲛⲥⲟⲟⲡ Crum, Zellmann-Rohrer
43. ⲙⲉϩ̣ : ⲙⲉ translate “love” Kropp : translate “adorn” Frankfurter/Meyer | ⲛⲁⲃⲁⲗ : ⲛⲁ̣[ⲃⲁⲗ[ Kropp | ⲛ̣ⲁ̣ : [ⲛⲁ] Kropp, Crum : ϩ̣ⲛ̣ Zellmann-Rohrer | ⲡⲁ-ⲑϩⲉⲱⲧⲏⲥ error for Greek θεωριστής ? : i.e. Greek ἀποθειώτης “divinised” (“vergotteten”) : i.e. Greek θεότης Zellmann-Rohrer | ⲡⲁ-ⲑⲉⲱⲣⲓⲥⲧⲏⲥ i.e. Greek θεωριστής : i.e. Greek ἀποθεωρίστης “far-seeing” (“fernschauenden”) | ⲟⲉⲓⲛ i.e. Sahidic ⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓⲛ : “rouse yourself” (“reget euch”) Kropp, Frankfurter/Meyer | ⲕⲥⲕⲁⲥ i.e. Sahidic ϫⲉⲕⲁⲁⲥ : ⲛⲕⲁⲥ i.e. Sahidic ϫⲉⲕⲁⲁⲥ Kropp | ⲉⲧⲉⲧⲛⲁⲟⲩⲱ̣ⲛ̣ϩ̣ : ⲉⲧⲉⲧⲛⲁⲟⲩⲱ[̣ ⲛϩ] Kropp, Crum
44. ⲙⲏⲥⲧⲏⲣⲓⲟⲛ i.e. Greek μυστήριον | ⲙⲏⲥⲧⲏⲣⲓⲟⲛ Crum : ⲙⲏⲥⲧⲏ̣ⲣ̣ⲓ̣ⲟ̣ⲛ̣ Kropp ϫⲉ Crum : ϫ̣[ⲉ] Kropp
45. ⲛⲡⲛⲟϭ i.e. Sahidic ⲙ̅-ⲡ-ⲛⲟϭ | ϫ[ⲉ] : or ϫ[ⲉⲕⲁⲁⲥ] Zellmann-Rohrer : . [ . 8 ] Kropp, Crum, Frankfurter/Meyer | ⲥⲁⲃⲁⲱⲑ : ⲥⲁ[vac.]ⲃⲁⲱⲑ pap.
46. ⲛⲡⲟⲟⲩ i.e. Sahidic ⲙ̅-ⲡⲟⲟⲩ | ⲡⲉⲁⲡⲟⲧ i.e. Sahidic ⲡⲉⲓ-ⲁⲡⲟⲧ | ⲙⲙⲟⲩ i.e. Sahidic ⲙ̅ⲙⲟⲟⲩ
47. ⲛ[ⲧⲉⲧⲛⲙⲉϩ] : [ⲛⲧⲉⲧⲛⲙⲉ] Crum, Kropp : translate “love” Kropp : translate “adorn” Frankfurter/Meyer
48. ⲑⲉⲱⲣⲓⲥⲧⲏⲥ i.e. Greek θεωριστής i.e. Greek ἀποθεωρίστης “far-seeing” (“fernschauenden”) : translate “discernment” Frankfurter/Meyer | ⲟⲉⲓⲛ i.e. Sahidic ⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓⲛ : “rouse yourself” (“reget euch”) Kropp, Frankfurter/Meyer | ⲙⲏⲥⲧⲏ[ⲣⲓⲟⲛ] i.e. Greek μυστήριον : ⲛⲙⲏⲥⲧ̣[ⲏⲣⲓⲟⲛ] Kropp, Crum | [ⲛ]ⲓ̣ⲙ̣ [ ⲛⲓⲙ] Kropp, Crum
49. ⲁⲡⲟⲗⲟⲅⲓⲁ i.e. Greek ἀπολογία | ⲑ[⧹ⲩ⧸] l. ⲑⲩ(ⲥⲓⲁ) i.e. Greek θυσία : ⲑ( ) Crum : Kropp, Frankfurter/Meyer omit | ⲙ[ⲁⲥ⧹ⲧ̣ⲉ̣ⲭ̣ⲏ⧸] i.e. Greek μαστίχη : ⲙⲁ̣[ⲥ]ⲧ̣ⲉ̣ⲭ̣ⲏ̣/ Zellmann-Rohrer : ⲧⲉ Crum : Kropp, Frankfurter/Meyer omit

Notes:

There are numerous small spots of ink all over the manuscript, some of which resemble supralinear or sublinear dots; here we understand them as ink spatters.
This recipe is very close to the later PCM I 34 p. 1 ll. 1–27 – p. 2 ll. 1–26 (KYP M106/T1085)
38-40. The beginnings of these lines are quite damaged; in the current state of the manuscript the early letters are not visible from photographs, but they are clearer in images made before restoration.
38. ⲧⲉⲓ̣ⲟⲥⲡⲥⲡ Previous editors have read the third letter as a sigma, but the form would be very strange; it seems instead to be an elongated iota with serifs of a type occasionally used by this scribe. Compare in particular the iota in ⲥⲓⲙⲉ in l. 92.
42. ⲛⲥⲟⲡ Crum and Zellmann-Rohrer read two omicrons in the middle of this word, but this seems to be a mistake based on the misplacement of the upper fragment of this line before conservation; only one omicron is visible to the present editor when the fragment is placed correctly.
42, 47. ⲛ̣ⲧⲉⲧⲛⲙⲟϩϥ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲛⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓⲛ ⲛⲑⲉ ⲛⲡⲣⲏ ⲙⲛ ⲡⲟϩ ⲛⲍ̅ ⲛⲕⲱⲃ ⲛⲥⲟⲡ Compare Isaiah 30:26 “and the light of the moon will be like the the sun, and the sun seven times ⟨greater⟩ on theat day that he will heal the destruction of his people” (ⲛⲧⲉⲡⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓⲛ ⲙⲡⲟⲟϩ ⲣⲑⲉ ⲙⲡⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓⲛ ⲙⲡⲣⲏ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓⲛ ⲙⲡⲣⲏ ⲛⲥⲁϣϥ ⲛⲕⲱⲃ ⲙⲡⲉϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲧⲙⲙⲁⲩ ⲉϥϣⲁⲛⲧⲁⲗϭⲉ ⲡⲟⲩⲱϣϥ ⲙⲡⲉϥⲗⲁⲟⲥ).
43. ⲡⲁⲑϩⲉⲱⲧⲏⲥ Here we understand this as a mistaken writing of ⲡⲁⲑⲉⲱⲣⲓⲥⲧⲏⲥ (cf. the repetition of the phrase in l. 43, where this passage is absent). Zellmann-Rohrer understands this as a writing of θεότης, and translates “fill my eyes with divinity”. Kropp understands this as ἀποθειώτης, an adjective applied to the eyes (“may you love my divinised and far-seeing eyes!” (Möget ihr meine vergotteten und fernschauenden
[Augen] lieben!”). Frankfurter/Meyer translate “adorn my eyes with divinity”.
43, 48. ⲛⲁ ⲡⲁⲑⲉⲱⲣⲓⲥⲧⲏⲥ We understand this word, unattested in pre-modern Greek, to mean “scryer”, referring to a medium or assistant (usually a pre-pubertal boy) used to scry in bowl divination; see the notes in Dosoo/Preininger (2023) 439 note to ll. 17-18. It may be that the reader should read either “fill my eyes” or “those of my scryer” depending on whether the bowl divination is being carried out by the practitioner alone, or with a boy medium. Zellmann-Rohrer translates this word as “(faculty of) vision”, translating “fill my eyes, my vision, with (divinity and) light”. Kropp translates this as ἀποθεωρίστης; for the translation see the note to l. 43 above. Frankfurter/Meyer understand this to mean “discernment”, translating “adorn my eyes with (divinity and) discernment”.
49. ⲑ[⧹ⲩ⧸] As Zellmann-Rohrer notes, this was probably written as a monogram (upsilon over theta), as in l. 56.

Bibliography:

Crum, Walter E. “Magical Texts in Coptic I.” Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 20 1/2 (1934): 51–53.

Crum, Walter. Griffith Institute, Oxford Crum MSS 11.47. Notes takes from Zellmann-Rohrer (2022)

Dosoo, Korshi. “A New Publication of the London Hay Archive’ (review of Elizabeth R. O’Connell (editor), The Hay Archive of Coptic Spells on Leather: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to the Materiality of Magical Practice (London: Trustees of the British Museum, 2022)”, Journal of Coptic Studies 26 (2024), 287-298.

Dosoo, Korshi, and Markéta Preininger. Papyri Copticae Magicae. Coptic Magical Texts, Volume 1: Formularies, Archiv für Papyrusforschung und verwandte Gebiete – Beihefte. Berlin: De Gruyter, 2023, p. 439 note to ll. 17-18.

Kropp, Angelicus. Ausgewählte koptische Zaubertexte. Textpublikation. Vol. 1. Bruxelles: Édition de la Fondation Égyptologique Reine Élisabeth, 1931, no. M, p. 55–62.

Kropp, Angelicus. Ausgewählte koptische Zaubertexte. Übersetzungen und Anmerkungen. Vol. 2. Bruxelles: Édition de la Fondation Égyptologique Reine Élisabeth, 1931, no. 14, p. 40–53.

Frankfurter, David and Marvin Meyer in Marvin W. Meyer and Richard Smith. Ancient Christian Magic: Coptic Texts of Ritual Power. Princeton (New Jersey): Princeton University Press, 1999, p. 263–269, no. 127.

Zellman-Rohrer, Michael. “Hay 1.” In The Hay Archive of Coptic Spells on Leather. A Multi-disciplinary Approach to the Materiality of the Magical Practice, edited by Elisabeth R. O`Connell. British Museum Research Publications 233. London: British Museum Press, 2022, 79–110.

Zellmann-Rohrer, Michael. “An Assemblage of Coptic Magical Texts on Leather and Their Traditional Context (P.Brit.Mus. inv. no. EA 10122, 10376, 10391, 10434, 10414).” In Proceedings of the 29th International Congress of Papyrology. Lecce, 28 July-3 August 2019, ed. Edited by Mario Capasso, Paola Davoli, Natascia Pellé. Lecce: Centro di Studi Papirologici dell’Università del Salento, 2022, 1049-1064.

Zellmann-Rohrer, Michael. “The Text and Traditional Context of the ‘Hay Cookbook’ and Associated Magical Texts on Leather”. In BEC 4: Proceedings of the 4th British Egyptology Congress, 7-9 September 2018, University of Manchester (2018), ed. Carl Graves. London: Egypt Exploration Society, 2020, 169-179.

Editor:

Working edition by Michael Zellmann-Rohrer: Transcription entered by KD (21/1/2020), formatted by EL and edition (including updated Apparatus) entered by EL (23/3/20); updated edition of Michael Zellmann-Rohrer added by KD and edited translation (18/1/2023); KD + SG (20/1/2025)

How to cite:

Korshi Dosoo, Edward O.D. Love & Markéta Preininger (chief editors). "KYP T1670: Invocation for revelation," Kyprianos Database of Ancient Ritual Texts and Objects, www.coptic-magic.phil.uni-wuerzburg.de/index.php/text/kyp-t-1670. Accessed on 25/04/2025

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