Ein Weizen-Überweisungsauftrag Zugunsten des (Tempel)-Wirtschafters hor (Das Demotische Kalkstein-Ostrakon Leipzig Äm 4789) *

Abstract

The limestone ostracon Leipzig ÄM 4789 belongs to a group of more than one hundred short texts on limestone ostraca in European collections, originating from an unknown temple. They differ from all short texts otherwise known in their documentary type, and in their inclusion of the name of a deity (hitherto unread), which appears in men's names. To this European group may be added thirteen similar pieces in Cairo; these limestone and potsherd ostraca entered the Egyptian Museum in 1922, from Nag^c el-Mesheikh, as is recorded in the Journal d'Entrée. The goddess Mḥjt was worshipped at Nag^c el-Mesheikh / Lepidotonpolis so the cursively written name of the deity of the limestone ostraca is to be deciphered as Mḥjt, and the personal names as Pȝ-hl-Mḥjt, ȝ-Mḥȝ-dj-Mḥjt, Pa-Mḥjt, Mḥjt, Mḥjt-tȝj=f-nḫtt and Ns-Mḥjt. So far, no Greek or Demotic texts are known from the site. The documentary type of letter-orders and letter-receipts of these Nag^c el-Mesheikh limestone ostraca is to be found also in unpublished Abydos limestone ostraca in Oxford and in Khargeh potsherd ostraca in New York (to be published in Enchoria, in preparation), but is unknown in the rest of Upper Egypt (e.g. Thebes, Gebelein, Edfu and Elephantine). Probably all these letter-orders and letter-receipts date to the early Ptolemaic Period.