Papyri in Alexander IV's tomb

[susan]

I read, on Beth Carney's site, that two papyri were found in Alexander IV's tomb (assuming it's his). They are:1) an Orphic papyrus in the urn with his bones2)in the antechamber, a now disintegrated papyrus hasleft its imprint and part of its text on a fragment of plaster.I was wondering what the most interesting thing this papyrus could be ? Any ideas ?Susan

[ruthaki]

I visited the tombs last July and saw the urn and other grave offerings (which I'd already seen a few times before they were moved to the new tomb museum) No hint or reference to any papyri. I wonder where you read that. Once I had asked one of the archaeologists at the tomb site (first time I visited there just after it opened) if they would do a DNA testing on the bones reputedly to be Philip's and those found in the urn. He thought it was an excellent idea but said he doubted it because what was found in the urn was too powdered and he didn't think they could do a testing on it. But now I wonder if they might??? It would prove to be interesting, wouldn't it?

[ruthaki]

I visited the tombs last July and saw the urn and other grave offerings (which I'd already seen a few times before they were moved to the new tomb museum) No hint or reference to any papyri. I wonder where you read that. Once I had asked one of the archaeologists at the tomb site (first time I visited there just after it opened) if they would do a DNA testing on the bones reputedly to be Philip's and those found in the urn. He thought it was an excellent idea but said he doubted it because what was found in the urn was too powdered and he didn't think they could do a testing on it. But now I wonder if they might??? It would prove to be interesting, wouldn't it?

[susan]

it's on Beth Carney's site
http://people.clemson.edu/~elizab/aegae.htm
Susan

[ruthaki]

Well that is just too cool! I didn't know about the papyrus as it isn't listed or mentioned in the displays. Re the statue of Eurdice: I saw it a few years ago just after they excavated it. The archaeologist I was speaking to at the tomb site told me to go up to the shed and ask the man there to show me Eurydice. I did, and I saw it (minus the head which was in the lab). Quite a thrill!

[Jeanne]

Susan -- Just write Beth and ask what she thinks they might be. She'd know better than I would :)Jeanne

[gepd]

Back to this old topic: analysis of papyri was published in 2018! Didnt get the attention it deserved. Papyri were also in Tomb B.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/26603985

Some nice photos of them are available there, article is on copyright so cant add them here, but hopefully you can have access to it.

[Alexias]

Thanks for this. For anyone who doesn't have access to jstor, there is very little that is decipherable. A piece of papyrus that was stuck to a piece of white (wall) plaster gives the only meaningful piece of text.

Capture.JPG (22.23 KiB) Viewed 10291 times

This would appear to list suitable objects to place in a boy of 13's tomb (Alexander IV).

One other point of note is that the bones of the female found in Tomb II (Philip's tomb) are those of a woman of about 32, which would rule out Philip's granddaughter Eurydike, who was 19-20 when executed (as well as Philip's last wife Cleopatra/Eurydike). The male bones are those of a man of about 45, too old to be Philip Arrhidaeus.