Manchester Odyssey fragments flown to New York for Nolan's 'The Odyssey' cast
A fragment of Homer's Odyssey, dating back 1,700 years and referred to as the Manchester Odyssey, was moved from the John Rylands Library in Manchester to New York in a custom case for the cast of Christopher Nolan's film adaptation to examine. Prof. Christopher Pressler, the librarian, likened the operation to a Mission Impossible mission due to its secrecy and the weight of responsibility involved. Written in ancient Greek by an Egyptian scribe and later corrected by a teacher, these fragments represent the oldest known book version of the poem. Nolan was reportedly touched when he held the fragments. The film features Matt Damon as Odysseus, Tom Holland as Telemachus, and others. Lord Balcarres acquired the Manchester Odyssey in Egypt in 1900, and it is currently displayed at the John Rylands Library.
Key facts
- The Manchester Odyssey fragments are 1,700 years old.
- The fragments were taken to New York in a bespoke case.
- Christopher Nolan was moved by holding the fragments.
- The film stars Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, and Zendaya.
- The fragments were written by an Egyptian scribe and corrected by a teacher.
- The Manchester Odyssey was acquired by Lord Balcarres in Egypt in 1900.
- The fragments are now on display at the John Rylands Library.
- The Odyssey poem is attributed to Homer and composed between 850 and 750 BC.
Entities
Artists
- Christopher Nolan
- Matt Damon
- Tom Holland
- Anne Hathaway
- Robert Pattinson
- Lupita Nyong'o
- Zendaya
- Homer
- Lord Balcarres
- Prof. Christopher Pressler
- Dr. Jeremy Penner
- Livius Andronicus
- George Chapman
Institutions
- John Rylands Library
- University of Manchester
- Universal Pictures
- BBC
Locations
- Manchester
- New York
- Egypt
- JFK Airport
- Ithaca
- Greece
- Roman Egypt