Papyrus fragment
Unknown Artist
4th century B.C.–A.D. 6th century or later
Medium
Papyrus, ink
Dimensions
H. 11.2 cm (4 7/16 in.); Framed: H. 11.4 cm (4 1/2 in.); W. 12.7 cm (5 in.)
Classification
Papyrus, Greek
Period
Ptolemaic–Byzantine Period
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Museum Accession
Accession Number
O.C.3556
Art Historical Context
This delicate papyrus fragment, dating from the 4th century.C. through the 6th century.D. or later, offers a glimpse into the enduringal traditions of ancient Egypt during the Ptolema–Byzantine Period Housed in the Metropolitan Museum Art's Department of Egyptian Art, it just 11.2 cm in height, a small survivor framed for preservation. Crafted with ink on papyrus—a reed-based paper that was the backbone of Egyptian writing for millennia—this artifact exemplifies the medium's versatility for everything from administrative records to sacred texts. The Ptolemaic era began with Greek rulers follo...