E05998: Coptic ostracon from Deir el-Bahari (Upper Egypt) with a work contract to produce 24 garments, the scribe of the contract is a monk of the monastery of Apa *Phoibammon (soldier and martyr of Assiut, S00080); datable to the beginning of the 7th century.

O.Crum ad. 44<br><br>In this contract a man named Ezekias agrees to produce 24 garments.<br>The reverse of the ostracon reads as follows:<br><br>+ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲇⲁⲩ[ⲉⲓⲇ] ⲡⲙⲟⲛⲟⲭⲟⲥ ⲛⲁⲡⲁ ⲫⲟⲓⲃⲁⲙⲱⲛ ⲁⲉⲍⲉⲕⲓⲁⲥ ⲁⲓⲧⲉⲓ ⲙⲙ[ⲟⲓ] ⲁⲓⲥϩⲁⲓ ⲛⲧⲁϭⲓϫ ϩ[ⲛ] ⲥⲟⲩ ⲓϛ ⲙⲙⲉⲥⲟⲩⲣⲉ ⲛⲧⲓ[ⲣⲟⲙ]ⲡⲉ <br>ⲙⲡⲉⲙⲧⲏⲥ ⲓⲛⲇ(ⲓⲕⲧⲓⲟⲛⲟⲥ) ⲁⲩⲱ ϯⲟ ⲙⲙ[ⲛ]ⲧⲣⲉ<br><br>'I, David, the monk of Apa Phoibammon, Ezekias has asked me and I have written with my own hand on day 16 of (the month) Mesore, in this year of the fifth indiction. I also act as a witness.'<br><br><br>(Text: W. E. Crum; trans.: G. Schenke)