E01734: Coptic list of holy books belonging to the monastery of Apa *Elijah (S00667) on the mountain, presumably at Aphroditopolis/Atfih (Middle Egypt), listing a papyrus manuscript containing the Life of Mary, possibly *Mary of Egypt (S00903), datable to the 7th/8th century.

KSB 1.12

A large limestone ostracon preserves one hundred and fifteen lines written in two columns, listing all the books belonging to the monastery of Elijah on the mountain. The list begins with books from the Old Testament followed by the gospels, and various other manuscripts, including Encomia (E01733, $E01737, $E01738, $E01740), Lives (E01732, E01733, $E01734, $E01736, $E01741), and Martyrdoms (E01731, $E01735, $E01739, $E01742, $E01743). The material of the books is listed either as papyrus (ⲭⲁⲣⲧⲏⲥ) or as parchment (ⲙⲉⲃⲣⲁⲛⲟⲛ), specifying whether these manuscripts are old or new.

[ⲡⲗ]ⲟ̣ⲅⲟⲥ ⲛⲛϫⲱⲱⲙⲉ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲙⲡⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲛⲁⲡⲁ ϩⲏⲗⲓⲁⲥ ⲛⲧⲡ̣ⲉ̣[ⲧⲣⲁ]

‘[The] list of holy books at the monastery (topos) of Apa Elijah on the mountain.’

In line 59 one finds the entry:

ⲡⲃⲓⲟⲥ ⲛⲑⲁⲅⲓⲁ ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ ⲭⲁⲣ(ⲧⲏⲥ)

'The Life of saint Mary, papyrus (χάρτης).’

Text: M. Hasitzka, KSB 1.12. Translation: G. Schenke.