Archaeologists Unearth 43,000 Ancient Egyptian Ostraca, Revealing Millennia of Daily Life
A remarkable find of 43,000 inscribed pottery shards, known as ostraca, has been discovered at the ancient site of Athribis, close to present-day Sohag in Upper Egypt. This haul is the largest of its kind from ancient Egypt, dating between the 3rd century BCE and the 11th century CE. Excavations have been ongoing since 2005, led by the University of Tübingen alongside Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. These shards, which were inexpensive writing surfaces, include texts in various scripts like Demotic, Greek, hieratic, hieroglyphic, Coptic, and Arabic. They provide crucial insights into everyday life, featuring tax records, delivery logs, personal notes, and more, including over 130 horoscopes that illuminate ancient astronomy and astrology.
Key facts
- Over 43,000 inscribed pottery fragments (ostraca) were discovered at Athribis.
- The fragments date from the 3rd century BCE to the 11th century CE.
- The University of Tübingen and Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities led the excavation.
- Excavations at the site began in 2005.
- Texts are in Demotic, Greek, hieratic, hieroglyphic, Coptic, and Arabic.
- Contents include tax receipts, delivery lists, accounts, personal notes, and school exercises.
- Over 130 demotic-hieratic horoscopes were found.
- The collection is the largest of everyday written material from ancient Egypt.
Entities
Institutions
- University of Tübingen
- Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
- Tübingen Athribis Project
- Athribis-Projekt Tübingen
Locations
- Athribis
- Sohag
- Upper Egypt
- Egypt
- Luxor
- Germany