Where is Oxyrhynchus?

Oxyrhynchus was an ancient town in the north of Egypt (situated near the modern town of al-Bahnasa), approximately 160km southwest of Cairo on one of the Nile’s canals. Although it was a prosperous city during the Hellenistic and Roman periods, little remains of Oxyrhynchus today.

What was found at Oxyrhynchus?

At the turn of the last century, almost half a million fragments of papyri were uncovered at Oxyrhynchus. Though unknown to the general public, this is one of Egypt’s most important sites since among the texts were iconic records: fragments of the Gospel of Thomas and texts that illuminate the Classical histories.

Where are the Oxyrhynchus Papyri?

The focus of the project is the publication of papyri from the Oxyrhynchus Papyri Collection housed in the Sackler Library at Oxford. The collection comprises thousands of papyrus texts from ancient Oxyrhynchus and other sites in Egypt and is the largest collection of papyri in the world.

What is the meaning of Oxyrhynchus?

oxyrhynchus in British English (ˌɒksɪˈrɪŋkəs ) noun. a fish found in the Nile, sometimes depicted on Egyptian sculptures and coins.

What type of fish is Oxyrhynchus?

The oxyrhynchus fish (an African freshwater fish; the name means “sharp nosed” in Greek) was sacred to the goddess Hathor, and is usually shown wearing her crown of cow’s horns and sun disk on its head, an image that may have reproduced an actual temple cult statue.

How old is Oxyrhynchus Papyri?

The earliest of the papyri are dated to the middle of the 2nd century, so were copied within about a century of the writing of the original New Testament documents.

How strong is papyrus paper?

Egyptian Papyrus is strong and weighs approximately 120 gsm, making it ideal for painting, writing and drawing. You can also enjoy using papyrus in interior design and home decor as well as a large range of art projects.

What does Mako mean in Māori?

shark
Etymology. Borrowed from Maori makō (“shark”), a Southern Maori dialect form of the more standard mangō (“shark”).

Who is tehuti?

Tehuti is derived from the oldest name of the Ibis in Egypt, hence his physical depiction as an Ibis, often illustrated with a head of an ibis as well as a baboon on occasion. Tehuti is known as the father of written language, and many other contributions to mankind are attributed to this legendary figure.

Do Maori eat shark?

Shark hunting Sharks were an important part of the Māori diet. Fishing expeditions used to bring in thousands of sharks, which were dried on racks as long as 400 metres.

What does the hammerhead shark represent for Maori?

Description. The Mangopare symbol depicts the hammerhead shark. It symbolizes strength, termination, strong will and fighting spirit. Māori believed sharks to be protective spirits, and shark teeth necklaces were common status symbols amongst tribe leaders.

Is there a table of contents for the Oxyrhynchus papyrus?

There is an online table of contents briefly listing the type of contents of each papyrus or fragment. Administrative documents assembled and transcribed from the Oxyrhynchus excavation so far include:

How did Oxyrhynchus papyri survive the flood?

Another factor contributing to the survival of the Oxyrhynchus Papyri is the location of the city. As Oxyrhynchus lies on a branch of the Nile, rather than on the bank of that mighty river, the city is spared from the river’s annual inundation. Additionally, when the canals dried up, the water table fell and never rose again.

Where did the people of Oxyrhynchus throw away their rubbish?

For over a millennium, the inhabitants of the city would throw away their rubbish in a number of sites in the desert beyond the city limits. Amongst these items were texts written on papyri that the people of Oxyrhynchus no longer wanted. Map of the location of Oxyrhynchos (Oxyrhynchus). ( Public Domain )