E05986: Coptic ostracon from Deir el-Bahari (Upper Egypt) with a declaration made by a monk of the monastery of Apa *John (presumably either the Baptist, S00020, or the Apostle and Evangelist, S00042) in the presence of bishop Abraham; datable around the year 600.

O.Crum 310

The document is a declaration made by the monk Isaak, son of Enoch, of the monastery of Apa Ioannes/John, before the bishop Abraham, relating the actions of a certain Phoibammon. Two monks from the mountain of Jeme are also present at the scene when the declaration was made.

Lines 1–2 read as follows:

ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲓⲥⲁⲕ ⲡ[ϣⲏⲣⲉ] ⲛⲉⲛⲱⲭ ⲡⲉⲗ(ⲁⲭⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ) ⲙⲙⲟⲛⲁⲭⲟⲥ ⲉⲡⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲛⲁⲡⲁ ⲓⲱⲁ[ⲛⲛⲏⲥ]

'I, Isaak, the [son] of Enoch, the least monk at the topos of Apa Ioannes, …'

Lines 6–13 of the reverse read as follows:

ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲁⲃⲣⲁϩⲁⲙ ⲡⲉⲡⲓⲥⲕ(ⲟⲡⲟⲥ) ⲁⲓⲥⲁⲕ ϯ ⲧⲉϩⲟⲙⲟⲗⲟⲅⲓⲁ ϩⲓⲃⲟⲗ ⲙⲙⲟⲓ ⲉⲣⲉ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲓⲱⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ ⲙⲙⲁⲩ ⲡⲙⲟⲛⲟⲭ(ⲟⲥ) ⲙⲡⲧⲟⲟⲩ ⲛϫⲏⲙⲉ ⲙⲛ
ⲁⲡⲁ ⲓⲥⲁⲕ ⲡⲙⲟⲛⲟⲭ(ⲟⲥ) ⲙⲡⲧⲟⲟⲩ [ⲛ]ϫⲏⲙⲉ ⲟⲛ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲓⲥⲁⲕ ⲡϣⲏⲣ[ⲉ ⲛⲉ]ⲛⲱⲭ ⲡⲙⲟⲛⲟⲭ(ⲟⲥ) ⲛⲁⲡⲁ ⲓⲱⲁ[ⲛⲛⲏⲥ] ϯⲥⲧⲟⲓⲭⲉ ⲉⲛⲓϣⲁϫⲉ +

'I, Abraham, the bishop, Isaak gave this testimony before me, while Apa Ioannes, the monk at the topos of Jeme, was present, together with Apa Isaak, likewise a monk at the topos of Jeme. I, Isaak, the son of Enoch, the monk of Apa Ioannes, I assent to these words.'


(Text: W. E. Crum; trans.: G. Schenke)