Inventory number

General description

Administrative papyrus

This manuscript has had a long and intense life, traces of which are still visible on the surface: both sides have been written on and erased several times. The result is a compilation of different hieratic texts (cursive writing of hieroglyphic) over the entire surface of this singular papyrus. 

The recto (front) of this document is almost completely occupied by a so-called “Necropolis Journal”, recording deliveries of rations to the workmen of Deir el-Medina on several dates in the regnal years 6-8 of Ramesses IX. They are recorded by several individuals including a scribe of the mat, scribes of the vizier, a royal butler, temple scribes and deputies. The supplies come from royal storerooms and various temples and include different kinds of food, clothing, precious metals such as copper, silver and gold as well as oil and papyrus.

The recto contains another text where a draughtsman named Pentaweret receives a female donkey and her foal from the deputy of the temple of Ramesses III. The animals are payment for some grain lent two years earlier. The donkeys are later claimed by temple attendants as belonging to a priest, and Pentaweret then buys two more donkeys which are handed over to the temple attendants.

On the verso there is a literary text that has been partly erased in order to make room for transcribing an administrative text. This latter text deals with the deliveries of clothing, oil, wax, lead and copper. The verso also contains several accounts of the deliveries of fowl, wood, pottery, fruit, plants, firewood, fish, vegetables and flowers.