Papyrus Research Provides Insights into the ‘Modern Concerns’ of the Ancient World

University of Cincinnati ^ | October 29, 2010 | M.B. Reilly

[decimon]

A University of Cincinnati-based journal devoted to research on papyri is due out Nov. 1. That research sheds light on an ancient world with surprisingly modern concerns: including hoped-for medical cures, religious confusion and the need for financial safeguards.

What’s old is new again. That’s the lesson that can be taken from the University of Cincinnati-based journal, “Bulletin of the American Society of Papyrologists,” due out Nov. 1.

The annually produced journal, edited since 2006 by Peter van Minnen, UC associate professor of classics, features the most prestigious global research on papyri, a field of study known as papyrology. (Papyrology is formally known as the study of texts on papyrus and other materials, mainly from ancient Egypt and mainly from the period of Greek and Roman rule.)

It’s an area of research that is more difficult than you might think. That’s because it was common among antiquities dealers of the early 20th century to tear papyri pages apart in order to increase the number of pieces they could sell.

Below are five topics treated in the upcoming 2010 volume of the “Bulletin of the American Society of Papyrologists.” The five issues resonate with our own concerns today.

[decimon]

UC's Peter Van Minnen, editor of the Bulletin of the American Society of Papyrologists.

Photos By: Andrew Higley

[decimon]

Papy ‘R Us ping.

When the Feds take over, the American Society of Papyrologists will become the Ministry of Silly Papers.

[TexasRepublic]

I’ll bet the old timers were more “concerned” with sex and beer. Human nature never changes.

[decimon]

I’ll bet the old timers were more “concerned” with sex and beer.

Yeah, but that's nothing to write home about. ;-)

Back then, I don't think that many people wrote anything and that the few writers wrote sparingly. Just too expensive and time consuming. Money matters would be kept track of.

[SunkenCiv]

· GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach · · join list or digest · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post a topic · subscribe ·
	Antiquity Journal  & archive  Archaeologica  Archaeology  Archaeology Channel  BAR  Bronze Age Forum  Discover  Dogpile  Eurekalert  Google  LiveScience  Mirabilis.ca  Nat Geographic  PhysOrg  Science Daily  Science News  Texas AM  Yahoo  Excerpt, or Link only?	Thanks decimon. One of these has the first known comic strip, "Papyri the Sailor Man". Okay, yes, I made that up. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.
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[ThanhPhero]

I try to be good or useful from time to time.

[SunkenCiv]

Great week!

Hunting for the Dawn of Writing, When Prehistory Became History
New York Times | October 19, 2010 | Geraldine Fabrikant
Posted on 10/30/2010 7:17:25 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2617667/posts