ISAC Museum Demotic Ostraca Online | Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures

View the Demotic Ostraca in OCHRE

Introduction

The Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures Museum houses a large collection of nearly 900 Demotic ostraca, pottery sherds upon which ancient scribes recorded a wide variety of text types. The vast majority of the corpus concerns economic matters and consists of receipts, contracts, memos, and lists, but there is a small selection of other genres such as votive and astrological texts. With few exceptions, the material derives from the environs of Thebes and over half of the collection derives from the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures excavations at Medinet Habu. Attested dates in the documents range from the early Ptolemaic Period (circa 285 BCE) to the early Roman Period (circa 80 CE). Less than one third of the corpus has been published:

160 ostraca in Miriam Lichtheim, Demotic Ostraca from Medinet Habu, Oriental Institute Publications 80 (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1957)
61 ostraca in Brian P. Muhs, Tax Receipts, Taxpayers, and Taxes in Early Ptolemaic Thebes, Oriental Institute Publications 126 (Chicago: Oriental Institute, 2005)
42 ostraca in Brian P. Muhs, Foy D. Scalf, and Jacqueline E. Jay, The Archive of Thotsutmis, Son of Panouphis: Early Ptolemaic Ostraca from Deir el Bahari (O. Edgerton), Oriental Institute Publications 146 (Chicago: Oriental Institute, 2021)
Several dozen ostraca have been published in the articles of Ursula Kaplony-Heckel and Otto Neugebauer

The database was developed as both a scholarly research tool and a means for the publication of the unpublished Demotic ostraca. It is our aim to make available all of the Demotic ostraca in this collection, both published and unpublished, to scholars worldwide in a format that will allow for complex searching and sorting criteria as well as quick and easy updating. This will be accomplished through periodic updates as additional texts are edited and entered into the database.

The principal investigator is Foy Scalf, in collaboration with Brian Muhs and Jacqueline Jay. Volunteer assistance, editorial help, and data entry has been provied by NELC graduate students Theresa Tiliakos, Ella Karev, and Rebecca Wang.

Published Texts by Catalog Number

O. Edgerton (Click to Expand/Collapse)

O. Edgerton, no. 1 = Unidentified		O. Edgerton, no. 22 = ISACM E19514
O. Edgerton, no. 2 = Unidentified		O. Edgerton, no. 23 = ISACM E19489
O. Edgerton, no. 3 = HMNS 13.1999.040		O. Edgerton, no. 24 = ISACM E19511
O. Edgerton, no. 4 = ISACM E49083		O. Edgerton, no. 25 = ISACM E19508
O. Edgerton, no. 5 = ISACM E19503 + ISACM E19509		O. Edgerton, no. 26 = ISACM E19512
O. Edgerton, no. 6 = ISACM E19506		O. Edgerton, no. 27 = ISACM E19480
O. Edgerton, no. 7 = ISACM E49084		O. Edgerton, no. 28 = ISACM E19505
O. Edgerton, no. 8 = ISACM E19510 + ISACM E19513		O. Edgerton, no. 29 = ISACM E19500
O. Edgerton, no. 9 = ISACM E19490		O. Edgerton, no. 30 = ISACM E19488
O. Edgerton, no. 10 = ISACM E19482		O. Edgerton, no. 31 = ISACM E19492
O. Edgerton, no. 11 = ISACM E19494		O. Edgerton, no. 32 = ISACM E19501
O. Edgerton, no. 12 = ISACM E19483		O. Edgerton, no. 33 = ISACM E19507
O. Edgerton, no. 13 = ISACM E19481		O. Edgerton, no. 34 = ISACM E19515
O. Edgerton, no. 14 = ISACM E19496		O. Edgerton, no. 35 = ISACM E19486
O. Edgerton, no. 15 = ISACM E19485		O. Edgerton, no. 36 = ISACM E19499
O. Edgerton, no. 16 = Unidentified		O. Edgerton, no. 37 = ISACM E19495
O. Edgerton, no. 17 = ISACM E19498		O. Edgerton, no. 38 = Unidentified
O. Edgerton, no. 18 = ISACM E19491		O. Edgerton, no. 39 = ISACM E19479
O. Edgerton, no. 19 = ISACM E49085		O. Edgerton, no. 40 = ISACM E19487
O. Edgerton, no. 20 = ISACM E19493		O. Edgerton, no. 41 = ISACM E19484
O. Edgerton, no. 21 = ISACM E19504		O. Edgerton, no. 42 = ISACM E19497

O. Taxes 1 (Click to Expand/Collapse)

O. Taxes 1, no. 1 = ISACM E19158		O. Taxes 1, no. 32 = ISACM E19324
O. Taxes 1, no. 2 = ISACM E19290		O. Taxes 1, no. 33 = ISACM E19325
O. Taxes 1, no. 3 = ISACM E19291		O. Taxes 1, no. 34 = ISACM E19326
O. Taxes 1, no. 4 = ISACM E19292		O. Taxes 1, no. 35 = ISACM E19327
O. Taxes 1, no. 5 = ISACM E19293		O. Taxes 1, no. 36 = ISACM E19328
O. Taxes 1, no. 6 = ISACM E19294		O. Taxes 1, no. 37 = ISACM E19329
O. Taxes 1, no. 7 = ISACM E19295		O. Taxes 1, no. 38 = ISACM E19330
O. Taxes 1, no. 8 = ISACM E19296		O. Taxes 1, no. 39 = ISACM E19332
O. Taxes 1, no.9 = ISACM E19297		O. Taxes 1, no. 40 = ISACM E19333
O. Taxes 1, no.10 = ISACM E19298		O. Taxes 1, no. 41 = ISACM E19334
O. Taxes 1, no.11 = ISACM E19299		O. Taxes 1, no. 42 = ISACM E19335
O. Taxes 1, no. 12 = ISACM E19300		O. Taxes 1, no. 43 = ISACM E19336
O. Taxes 1, no. 13 = ISACM E19301		O. Taxes 1, no. 44 = ISACM E19337
O. Taxes 1, no. 14 = ISACM E19302		O. Taxes 1, no. 45 = ISACM E19338
O. Taxes 1, no. 15 = ISACM E19303		O. Taxes 1, no. 46 = ISACM E19339
O. Taxes 1, no. 16 = ISACM E19304		O. Taxes 1, no. 47 = ISACM E19340
O. Taxes 1, no. 17 = ISACM E19305 + ISACM E19380		O. Taxes 1, no. 48 = ISACM E19341
O. Taxes 1, no. 18 = ISACM E19306		O. Taxes 1, no. 49 = ISACM E19342
O. Taxes 1, no. 19 = ISACM E19308		O. Taxes 1, no. 50 = ISACM E19343
O. Taxes 1, no. 20 = ISACM E19309		O. Taxes 1, no. 51 = ISACM E19344
O. Taxes 1, no. 21 = ISACM E19310		O. Taxes 1, no. 52 = ISACM E19345
O. Taxes 1, no. 22 = ISACM E19311		O. Taxes 1, no. 53 = ISACM E19347
O. Taxes 1, no. 23 = ISACM E19312		O. Taxes 1, no. 54 = ISACM E19348
O. Taxes 1, no. 24 = ISACM E19313		O. Taxes 1, no. 55 = ISACM E19349
O. Taxes 1, no. 25 = ISACM E19315		O. Taxes 1, no. 56 = ISACM E19350
O. Taxes 1, no. 26 = ISACM E19316		O. Taxes 1, no. 57 = ISACM E19351
O. Taxes 1, no. 27 = ISACM E19317		O. Taxes 1, no. 58 = ISACM E19352
O. Taxes 1, no. 28 = ISACM E19318		O. Taxes 1, no. 59 = ISACM E19353
O. Taxes 1, no. 29 = ISACM E19319		O. Taxes 1, no. 60 = ISACM E19382
O. Taxes 1, no. 30 = ISACM E19321		O. Taxes 1, no. 61 = ISACM E19383
O. Taxes 1, no. 31 = ISACM E19322

O. Med. Habu (Click to Expand/Collapse)

O. Med. Habu, no. 1 = MH 528		O. Med. Habu, no. 81 = MH 2641
O. Med. Habu, no. 2 = MH 508		O. Med. Habu, no. 82 = MH 4041
O. Med. Habu, no. 3 = MH 461		O. Med. Habu, no. 83 = MH 2632
O. Med. Habu, no. 4 = MH 459		O. Med. Habu, no. 84 = MH 4053
O. Med. Habu, no. 5 = MH 460		O. Med. Habu, no. 85 = MH 837
O. Med. Habu, no. 6 = MH 1723		O. Med. Habu, no. 86 = MH 2809
O. Med. Habu, no. 7 = MH 1238		O. Med. Habu, no. 87 = MH 2880
O. Med. Habu, no. 8 = MH 2365		O. Med. Habu, no. 88 = MH 521
O. Med. Habu, no. 9 = MH 462		O. Med. Habu, no. 89 = MH 2699
O. Med. Habu, no. 10 = MH 501		O. Med. Habu, no. 90 = MH 2629
O. Med. Habu, no. 11 = MH 2932		O. Med. Habu, no. 91 = MH 4081
O. Med. Habu, no. 12 = MH 2190		O. Med. Habu, no. 92 = MH 195
O. Med. Habu, no. 13 = MH 1258		O. Med. Habu, no. 93 = MH 3674
O. Med. Habu, no. 14 = MH 1490		O. Med. Habu, no. 94 = MH 120
O. Med. Habu, no. 15 = MH 2891		O. Med. Habu, no. 95 = MH 4047
O. Med. Habu, no. 16 = MH 486		O. Med. Habu, no. 96 = MH 1719
O. Med. Habu, no. 17 = MH 4269		O. Med. Habu, no. 97 = MH 522
O. Med. Habu, no. 18 = MH 512		O. Med. Habu, no. 98 = MH 2548
O. Med. Habu, no. 19 = MH 507		O. Med. Habu, no. 99 = MH 4049
O. Med. Habu, no. 20 = MH 1926		O. Med. Habu, no. 100 = MH 4050
O. Med. Habu, no. 21 = MH 119		O. Med. Habu, no. 101 = MH2638
O. Med. Habu, no. 22 = MH 1745		O. Med. Habu, no. 102 = MH 1963
O. Med. Habu, no. 23 = MH 2617		O. Med. Habu, no. 103 = MH 4052
O. Med. Habu, no. 24 = MH 2941		O. Med. Habu, no. 104 = MH 1733
O. Med. Habu, no. 25 = MH 2631		O. Med. Habu, no. 105 = MH 2658
O. Med. Habu, no. 26 = MH 4040		O. Med. Habu, no. 106 = MH 2572
O. Med. Habu, no. 27 = MH 4516		O. Med. Habu, no. 107 = MH 4056
O. Med. Habu, no. 28 = MH 117		O. Med. Habu, no. 108 = MH 1358
O. Med. Habu, no. 29 = MH 2718		O. Med. Habu, no. 109 = MH 2645
O. Med. Habu, no. 30 = MH 2587		O. Med. Habu, no. 110 = MH 2800
O. Med. Habu, no. 31 = MH 118		O. Med. Habu, no. 111 = MH 4054
O. Med. Habu, no. 32 = MH 4061		O. Med. Habu, no. 112 = MH 4015
O. Med. Habu, no. 33 = MH 502		O. Med. Habu, no. 113 = MH 891
O. Med. Habu, no. 34 = MH 140		O. Med. Habu, no. 114 = MH 1353
O. Med. Habu, no. 35 = MH 439		O. Med. Habu, no. 115 = MH 2636
O. Med. Habu, no. 36 = MH 4082		O. Med. Habu, no. 116 = MH 1768
O. Med. Habu, no. 37 = MH 2577		O. Med. Habu, no. 117 = MH 162
O. Med. Habu, no. 38 = MH 4063		O. Med. Habu, no. 118 = MH 463
O. Med. Habu, no. 39 = MH 2654		O. Med. Habu, no. 119 = MH 478
O. Med. Habu, no. 40 = MH 2640		O. Med. Habu, no. 120 = MH 4046
O. Med. Habu, no. 41 = MH 519		O. Med. Habu, no. 121 = MH 1621
O. Med. Habu, no. 42 = MH 485		O. Med. Habu, no. 122 = MH 1480
O. Med. Habu, no. 43 = MH 143		O. Med. Habu, no. 123 = MH 493
O. Med. Habu, no. 44 = MH 3015		O. Med. Habu, no. 124 = MH 3969
O. Med. Habu, no. 45 = MH 2635		O. Med. Habu, no. 125 = MH 1769
O. Med. Habu, no. 46 = MH 1444		O. Med. Habu, no. 126 = MH 4107
O. Med. Habu, no. 47 = MH 2550		O. Med. Habu, no. 127 = MH 3967
O. Med. Habu, no. 48 = MH 1430		O. Med. Habu, no. 128 = MH 1599
O. Med. Habu, no. 49 = MH 1574		O. Med. Habu, no. 129 = MH 520
O. Med. Habu, no. 50 = MH 511		O. Med. Habu, no. 130 = MH 3701
O. Med. Habu, no. 51 = MH 4546		O. Med. Habu, no. 131 = MH 2648
O. Med. Habu, no. 52 = MH 3327		O. Med. Habu, no. 132 = MH 193
O. Med. Habu, no. 53 = MH 2870		O. Med. Habu, no. 133 = MH 4011
O. Med. Habu, no. 54 = MH 3226		O. Med. Habu, no. 134 = MH 2799
O. Med. Habu, no. 55 = MH 4048		O. Med. Habu, no. 135 = MH 2933
O. Med. Habu, no. 56 = MH 1573		O. Med. Habu, no. 136 = MH 3611
O. Med. Habu, no. 57 = MH 2196		O. Med. Habu, no. 137 = MH 4258
O. Med. Habu, no. 58 = MH 2393		O. Med. Habu, no. 138 = MH 3259
O. Med. Habu, no. 59 = MH 1129		O. Med. Habu, no. 139 = MH 497
O. Med. Habu, no. 60 = MH 919		O. Med. Habu, no. 140 = MH 904
O. Med. Habu, no. 61 = MH 152		O. Med. Habu, no. 141 = MH 51
O. Med. Habu, no. 62 = MH 1858		O. Med. Habu, no. 142 = MH 4195
O. Med. Habu, no. 63 = MH 2649		O. Med. Habu, no. 143 = MH 4494
O. Med. Habu, no. 64 = MH 1441		O. Med. Habu, no. 144 = MH 2748
O. Med. Habu, no. 65 = MH 1602		O. Med. Habu, no. 145 = MH 4359
O. Med. Habu, no. 66 = MH 2594		O. Med. Habu, no. 146 = MH 1474
O. Med. Habu, no. 67 = MH 71		O. Med. Habu, no. 147 = MH 4304
O. Med. Habu, no. 68 = MH 2683		O. Med. Habu, no. 148 = MH 3634
O. Med. Habu, no. 69 = MH 4013		O. Med. Habu, no. 149 = MH 4033
O. Med. Habu, no. 70 = MH 2655		O. Med. Habu, no. 150 = MH 44
O. Med. Habu, no. 71 = MH 2633		O. Med. Habu, no. 151 = MH 509
O. Med. Habu, no. 72 = MH 504		O. Med. Habu, no. 152 = MH 530
O. Med. Habu, no. 73 = MH 4183		O. Med. Habu, no. 153 = MH 2834
O. Med. Habu, no. 74 = MH 2515		O. Med. Habu, no. 154 = MH 537
O. Med. Habu, no. 75 = MH 2647		O. Med. Habu, no. 155 = MH 3333
O. Med. Habu, no. 76 = MH 4073		O. Med. Habu, no. 156 = MH 1456
O. Med. Habu, no. 77 = MH 2639		O. Med. Habu, no. 157 = MH 480
O. Med. Habu, no. 78 = MH 1370		O. Med. Habu, no. 158 = MH 115
O. Med. Habu, no. 79 = MH 2712		O. Med. Habu, no. 159 = MH 903
O. Med. Habu, no. 80 = MH 115		O. Med. Habu, no. 160 = MH 499

All Texts by Registration Number (Click to Expand/Collapse)

MH 71 = O. Med. Habu, no. 67

ISACM E19158 = O. Taxes 1, no. 1

ISACM E19290 = O. Taxes 1, no. 2

ISACM E19291 = O. Taxes 1, no. 3

ISACM E19292 = O. Taxes 1, no. 4

ISACM E19293 = O. Taxes 1, no. 5

ISACM E19503 = O. Edgerton, no. 5

ISACM E19506 = O. Edgerton, no. 6

ISACM E19509 = O. Edgerton, no. 5

ISACM E19510 = O. Edgerton, no. 8

ISACM E19513 = O. Edgerton, no. 8

ISACM E49083 = O. Edgerton, no. 4

ISACM E49084 = O. Edgerton, no. 7

Updates:

2023: Project renamed for institutional name change.
2021: Added transliteraitons and translations from O. Edgerton to ISAC collections database. Added links to ISAC collections database for ostraca published in O. Edgerton and O. Taxes 1.
2019: OIDOO migrated to the OCHRE platform. Launch ISACM Demotic Ostraca here (*Use Edge or Chrome Browser as Firefox may not automatically launch Java app). OCHRE and OIDOO run on Java. We strongly recommend reading the OCHRE instructions at the linke below to ensure proper installation, setup, and use.

Instructions

Visit the OCHRE hompage to the see the manual, FAQ, and Wiki instructional.

Publications

Brian P. Muhs, Foy D. Scalf, and Jacqueline E. Jay. The Archive of Thotsutmis, son of Panouphis: Early Ptolemaic Ostraca from Deir el Bahari (O. Edgerton). Oriental Institute Publications 146. Chicago: Oriental Institute, 2021.
Foy Scalf. "An Embalmer's Bowl with Demotic Inscription (Oriental Institute Museum E9115)." In Essays for the Library of Seshat: Studies Presented to Janet H. Johnson on the Occasion of Her 70th Birthday, edited by Robert K. Ritner, pp. 311–323. Studies in Ancient Oriental Civilizations 70. Chicago: Oriental Institute, 2017.
Foy Scalf. "Resurrecting an Ibis Cult: Demotic Votive Texts from the Oriental Institute Museum of the University of Chicago." In Mélanges offerts à Ola el-Aguizy, edited by Fayza Haikal, pp. 361–388. Bibliothèque d'Étude 164 (Cairo: IFAO, 2015), 361–388.
Foy Scalf and Jacqueline Jay. "Oriental Institute Demotic Ostraca Online (OIDOO): Merging Text Publication and Research Tools." In Acts of the Tenth International Congress of Demotic Studies, edited by Mark Depauw and Yanne Broux, pp. 243–261. Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta 231. Leuven: Peeters, 2014.
Foy Scalf and Jacqueline Jay. "Accounting for Life in Ptolemaic and Roman Thebes: Online Access to Ancient Archives." Oriental Institute News & Notes 200 (Winter 2009), 13–17.

Comments and Suggestions

Please submit comments and suggestions to Foy Scalf by email.