Collection of Hieratic Ostraca from Mond’s Excavation at Sheikh – Abd – El Qurna in the Egyptian Museum (Philological & Palaeographical Study)

Abstract

The group of ostraca studied in my thesis was discovered during Robert Mond's excavations at Sheikh Abd-el-Qurna in the years 1903-1906. Unfortunately only very brief reports about the first two seasons of these excavations were published. A cursory publication of Mond’s papers and photographs at least provides some information on his work during the last two seasons.

Mond worked mainly in the south-western part of Sheikh Abd-el-Qurna, but a more precise find spot of most of the ostraca is unknown. According to their style and contents several clearly belong to the written legacy of the Deir el-Medina workforce. The group of ostraca under study includes various topics: some bear administrative reports and others literary texts. One ostracon is inscribed with a hymn to the solar god, whereas another one bears a hymn to Amun. Further there is one ostracon with a eulogy for a king (Ramesses III), and one ostracon with a so-called miscellany text (such texts were used as school training excercises). Some of the ostraca date to 18th Dynasty, while the others are dated to the Ramesside period.

The aim of my research on these ostraca was 1.to establish the nature of the texts, 2.to study the different aspects of the two types of hieratic