Greek Christian Ostraca: Collecting and Scrutinising the Scattered Evidence

• Applicant: Dr. Andrea Bernini
• Subject Area: Greek and Latin Philology ; Ancient History ; Religious Studies and Jewish Studies
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 550715868

The research aims to collect, re-edit and study Greek ostraca that preserve Christian texts. This evidence, which consists of 146 pieces, comes from Egypt and can be dated between the fourth and the eighth century. Despite their quantity and relevance, these ostraca have never been the subject of exhaustive papyrological investigation. Furthermore, most of them can be read only in outdated editions that are not always reliable and lack attention to palaeographic and praxeological aspects. The main scientific outcome will be a book that will provide scholars of different backgrounds (papyrologists, philologists, ancient historians, historians of religion, theologians) with a valuable tool for evaluating this evidence. The first objective will be establishing reliable texts: published texts will be revised and unedited ones will be published. The ecdotic process is made difficult by the fact that many scribes knew little Greek and were rather proficient in Coptic. This is reflected in the various mistakes, which are mostly phonological in nature, but often affect also morphology and syntax. Decipherment can be arduous because of particularly cursive hands and damaged surfaces of the ostraca. Parallels among Christian ostraca and with Biblical texts may help restore lacunae. The next stage will consist in scrutinising texts and writing supports, so as to detect insights on the cultural, religious and praxeological side. From a historical point of view, Greek Christian ostraca are a valuable source for the study of Christianity in Egypt from the fourth to the eighth century. The texts transmitted provide a picture of the religious beliefs (for instance, on the nature of Christ) that spread also beyond Egypt, while the materiality of ostraca sheds light upon devotional practices: small dimensions and drawings characterise the amulets to be carried by the believer or to be placed somewhere for apotropaic purposes; larger writing supports were used for prayers to be recited privately or during religious ceremonies; ostraca could also be used in series, in order to collect extracts from the same work, in a way that partially recalls the codex. Finally, locating pieces in the context of production, which is certain at least for those found during archaeological excavations, enables to identify the areas in which Christianity was deeply rooted. The research will also materialise in the publication of two articles containing editions and re-editions of ostraca, in two talks and in the organisation of a workshop.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants