Only a small fragment of this papyrus scroll is preserved, measuring 16 × 10.5 cm. It is debated among scholars if the content was understood by ancient users as a magical text or rather as a cosmogonical one.
The papyrus was dated to the 3rd or 4th century A.D. but has recently been re-dated to the 2nd century B.C. due to new palaeographical insights. It would now be the earliest Greek magical papyrus known to us today, but the content does not allow a clear identification as a magical text:
… in Egyptian: Knêph …… in Greek: The great(?) modeller … And having modeled two bulls, equal … and their natures masculine and … And having shaped another … [let it have] the body of a snake which has [no tail? or, more than one head?], but [is two- or three-headed?] at either end, [having on the right?] the heads of men, [on the left?] the heads of geese, … golden wings (?) which have … the shapes … [And having modeled another?] which has the body of … of the face of a sea(?) hawk … in Egyptian … subtle interpretations (?)
Infographic from my new book “The Archaeology of Ancient Magic”.
Become a patron for more infographics, research and videos: https://www.patreon.com/ancientmagic
P. Wash. Univ. inv. 139, 2nd century B.C., Egypt, St Louis MI, Washington University Papyri Collection
