Abbott Papyrus
Encyclopedia
The Abbott Papyrus serves as an important political document concerning the tomb robberies of the twentieth dynasty of the New Kingdom in Ancient Egypt. It also gives insight into the scandal between the two rivals Pewero and Paser of Thebes.
The Abbott Papyrus is held and preserved at the British Museum under the number 10221. The original owner/finder of the papyrus is unknown, but it was bought in 1857 by Dr. Abbot of Cairo, hence the name Abbott Papyrus.
The Abbot Papyrus dates back to the 20th dynasty around 1100BC under the reign of Ramesses IX
in his 16th year. According to Peet, the papyrus’ content takes place in a four-day period from the 18th to the 21st of the third month of the inundation season, Akhet.
The Abbott Papyrus is 218 cm in width and 42.5 cm in height. It is written in hieratic. The main document consists of seven pages on the recto side, and on the verso side there are two lists of thieves, which have been called the Abbott dockets. The document is in great condition.
On the 18th day, the Abbott Papyrus describes a search of the tombs claimed by Pawero to be violated. The commission searched ten royal tombs, four tombs of the Chantresses of the Estate of the Divine Adoratrix, and finally the tombs of the citizens of Thebes. The result of the search is the tomb of King Sebekemsaf, two out of the four tombs of the Chantresses of the Estate of the Divine Adoratrix, and all of the citizen tombs were disturbed.
On the 19th day, the Abbott Papyrus states that there was another search of tombs in the Valley of the Queens
and the tomb of Queen Isis
. The ones in charge of conducting the search brought with them a coppersmith, named Usimare Meriamun from Peden or named Peikharu by Peet, who confessed in year 14 to stealing from the tomb of Isis and tombs from the Valley of the Queens. While searching, the coppersmith could not point to the tombs he violated, even after being brutally beaten. The rest of the day was spent searching the tombs, and the results showed that none of the tombs were vandalized. Also on the 19th day, there was a celebration for the tombs being undisturbed. Paser believed and stated to officials that the celebration was a direct aim at him, and he was going to report to the Pharaoh five charges against them.
On the 20th day, the Abbott Papyrus describes a conversation between Pawero and the vizier. The conversation ended in an investigation into the five charges claimed by Paser.
On the 21st day, the Great Court of Thebes convened. After examining the charges made by Paser about the 19th and questioning the coppersmith, Paser is discredited.
helps to form a more complete picture of the tomb robberies of the twentieth dynasty under Ramesses IX. The Abbott connects with the Amherst Papyrus through the tomb of King Sebekemsaf. In the Abbott Papyrus, the tomb of King Sebekemsaf was investigated and found vandalized. The Amherst Papyrus records the confession of thieves charged with vandalizing the tomb of King Sebekemsaf.
The second connection also deals with tomb robberies and is made between the Abbott Dockets and Papyrus Mayer A, Papyrus B.M. 10052, and Papyrus B.M. 10403. The list of thieves in the Abbott dockets foreshadows two trials described in Papyrus Mayer A. The first trial foreshadowed from the Abbot Dockets in Papyrus Mayer A is the trial concerning the thieves of the tombs of Ramesses II and Seti I. The other trial connection deals with thefts from tombs in the Necropolis of Thebes. The connection of the Abbott dockets with Papyrus B.M 10052 also deals with the trial of the thefts in the tombs of Thebes, but deals with information leading up to the trials. Lastly, the connection with the Abbott dockets and the Papyrus B.M 10403 deals again with trial of the thefts in the tombs of Thebes, but Papyrus B.M 10403 gives more detail on the evidence.
One theory is by Winlock; he argues that the commission sent to inspect the tombs went from north to south, which means the tombs of the kings are found and sited in the same direction.
A second theory is by Peet, and he believes that the final reports made from commission were tainted on the 19th because a year later the tomb of Queen Isis was found violated.
The final theory relates to Peet’s theory. The theory was developed by J. Capart, A.H. Gardiner, and B. Van de Walle. They first believe that the papyrus is a trustworthy historical account, but their main theory is that the Papyrus Leopold II is the exact counterpart to the Abbot Papyrus. They proved the theory true in the postscript of their document when the team examined the Abbott Papyrus and Papyrus Leopold II. They found that both papyri were the same height and length. Both the papyri also were written in the same script.
The Abbott Papyrus is held and preserved at the British Museum under the number 10221. The original owner/finder of the papyrus is unknown, but it was bought in 1857 by Dr. Abbot of Cairo, hence the name Abbott Papyrus.
The Abbot Papyrus dates back to the 20th dynasty around 1100BC under the reign of Ramesses IX
Ramesses IX
Ramesses IX was the eighth king of the Twentieth dynasty of Egypt. He was the third longest serving king of this Dynasty after Ramesses III and Ramesses XI...
in his 16th year. According to Peet, the papyrus’ content takes place in a four-day period from the 18th to the 21st of the third month of the inundation season, Akhet.
The Abbott Papyrus is 218 cm in width and 42.5 cm in height. It is written in hieratic. The main document consists of seven pages on the recto side, and on the verso side there are two lists of thieves, which have been called the Abbott dockets. The document is in great condition.
Content
The Abbott Papyrus deals with the tomb robberies, but the underlying puzzle is the scandal between two rivals, Paser, the mayor of the East Bank of Thebes and Pawero, the mayor of the West Bank of Thebes, and according to Peet, it was written from the point of view of Pawero. As stated above, the content of the Abbott Papyrus is broken down into descriptions of events in a four day time period from the 18th to the 21st of the third month of the inundation period during the 16th year of Ramesses IX’s reign.On the 18th day, the Abbott Papyrus describes a search of the tombs claimed by Pawero to be violated. The commission searched ten royal tombs, four tombs of the Chantresses of the Estate of the Divine Adoratrix, and finally the tombs of the citizens of Thebes. The result of the search is the tomb of King Sebekemsaf, two out of the four tombs of the Chantresses of the Estate of the Divine Adoratrix, and all of the citizen tombs were disturbed.
On the 19th day, the Abbott Papyrus states that there was another search of tombs in the Valley of the Queens
Valley of the Queens
The Valley of the Queens is a place in Egypt where wives of Pharaohs were buried in ancient times. In ancient times, it was known as Ta-Set-Neferu, meaning –‘the place of the Children of the Pharaoh’, because along with the Queens of the 18th, 19th and 20th dynasties many princes and princesses...
and the tomb of Queen Isis
Iset Ta-Hemdjert
Iset Ta-Hemdjert or Isis Ta-Hemdjert, simply called Isis in her tomb, was an Ancient Egyptian queen of the twentieth dynasty; the Great Royal Wife of Ramesses III and the Royal Mother of Ramesses VI....
. The ones in charge of conducting the search brought with them a coppersmith, named Usimare Meriamun from Peden or named Peikharu by Peet, who confessed in year 14 to stealing from the tomb of Isis and tombs from the Valley of the Queens. While searching, the coppersmith could not point to the tombs he violated, even after being brutally beaten. The rest of the day was spent searching the tombs, and the results showed that none of the tombs were vandalized. Also on the 19th day, there was a celebration for the tombs being undisturbed. Paser believed and stated to officials that the celebration was a direct aim at him, and he was going to report to the Pharaoh five charges against them.
On the 20th day, the Abbott Papyrus describes a conversation between Pawero and the vizier. The conversation ended in an investigation into the five charges claimed by Paser.
On the 21st day, the Great Court of Thebes convened. After examining the charges made by Paser about the 19th and questioning the coppersmith, Paser is discredited.
Connections
The Abbott Papyrus is important in the grand scheme of political trials dealing with tomb robberies. The Abbott Papyrus with relation to the Amherst PapyrusAmherst Papyrus
The ancient Egyptian document Amherst Papyrus, now known as the Leopold II and Amherst Papyrus, is part of the original court records dealing with the tomb robberies under Ramesses IX and dates to Year 16 of Ramsesses IX. It contains the confessions of eight men who had broken into the tomb of...
helps to form a more complete picture of the tomb robberies of the twentieth dynasty under Ramesses IX. The Abbott connects with the Amherst Papyrus through the tomb of King Sebekemsaf. In the Abbott Papyrus, the tomb of King Sebekemsaf was investigated and found vandalized. The Amherst Papyrus records the confession of thieves charged with vandalizing the tomb of King Sebekemsaf.
The second connection also deals with tomb robberies and is made between the Abbott Dockets and Papyrus Mayer A, Papyrus B.M. 10052, and Papyrus B.M. 10403. The list of thieves in the Abbott dockets foreshadows two trials described in Papyrus Mayer A. The first trial foreshadowed from the Abbot Dockets in Papyrus Mayer A is the trial concerning the thieves of the tombs of Ramesses II and Seti I. The other trial connection deals with thefts from tombs in the Necropolis of Thebes. The connection of the Abbott dockets with Papyrus B.M 10052 also deals with the trial of the thefts in the tombs of Thebes, but deals with information leading up to the trials. Lastly, the connection with the Abbott dockets and the Papyrus B.M 10403 deals again with trial of the thefts in the tombs of Thebes, but Papyrus B.M 10403 gives more detail on the evidence.
Theories
There are many scholars who examine the Abbott Papyrus, but one of the first is T.E. Peet. Many scholars have developed theories concerning the Abbott Papyrus.One theory is by Winlock; he argues that the commission sent to inspect the tombs went from north to south, which means the tombs of the kings are found and sited in the same direction.
A second theory is by Peet, and he believes that the final reports made from commission were tainted on the 19th because a year later the tomb of Queen Isis was found violated.
The final theory relates to Peet’s theory. The theory was developed by J. Capart, A.H. Gardiner, and B. Van de Walle. They first believe that the papyrus is a trustworthy historical account, but their main theory is that the Papyrus Leopold II is the exact counterpart to the Abbot Papyrus. They proved the theory true in the postscript of their document when the team examined the Abbott Papyrus and Papyrus Leopold II. They found that both papyri were the same height and length. Both the papyri also were written in the same script.