Papyrology

Cromwell, Jennifer ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0228-1371 (2024) Papyrology. In: The Encyclopedia of Ancient History Asia and Africa. John Wiley & Sons Inc. ISBN 9781119399919

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Abstract

Taking its name from the writing medium produced from the papyrus plant, papyrology is the study and use of texts written on papyrus and other portable materials (potsherds, limestone flakes, leather, bone). Deriving mainly from Egypt, papyrological materials also survive from elsewhere in Africa, western Asia, and the northern Mediterranean, and preserve a diverse range of textual types, including documentary, literary, and semi-literary works. The study of these sources is essential for reconstructing the history of the ancient to early medieval world, from the life of individual men and women to the pivotal moments of social, religious, and political change.