G 60501 Recto

G 60501 Recto

G 60501 recto: Dimensions: 12 x 13.4 cm. Date: mid-II century BC? Provenance: Arsinoite nome (Oxyrhyncha?). This papyrus fragment preserves the upper left portion of an enteuxis, a petition to the king, from the mid-second century (?) BC concerning the illegal sale of cedria, a resinous substance widely used in mummification. This text is being published by C. La’da and A. Papathomas in the journal Tyche, volume 30 (2015). The subject of the enteuxis consists of a complaint by the petitioner against some unidentified ibis-buriers from the Arsinoite nome who appear to have violated his officially approved concession by obtaining cedria from other sources unauthorised by the state. The complainant seems to allege that they undertook numerous burials by going behind his back and that they also supplied others with this product. Apparently, they have not bought any amount at all from the royal shop, which he probably managed. He appears to be complaining of a lack of curtailment of or punishment for these illegal activities, which led to “not inconsiderable” financial damage to his business. In the lost part of the enteuxis, he probably requested action from the authorities to pressurise the ibis-buriers into ceasing their illegal practices damaging his financial interests.

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