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Egyptian Texts:  7.35


SALES OF LAND DATED TO REIGN OF HARONNOPHRIS


Text:   (A) Cairo CG 50164 (P. Carnarvon 1)   [ TM 43384 ]   ,   (B) Cairo CG CG 50165 (P. Carnarvon 2)   [ TM 43348 ]
Date:   202/1 B.C.
Script:   Demotic
Translated by:   W. Spiegelberg
Format:   see key to translations

These two papyri were stored in a sealed jar that was discovered by Howard Carter. The texts illustrate how inherited land was carefully divided between family members. In the first text, Senobastis sells some land to her cousin, and in the second text Pachnumis sells land to his nephew; see J.G. Manning, "Demotic Egyptian Instruments of Transfer as Evidence for Private Ownership of Real Property", pp.258-259 ( PDF ).

The two documents were published by W. Spiegelberg, "Zwei Kaufverträge aus der Zeit des Königs Harmachis" ( Recueil de travaux 35, 1913 ). Spiegelberg read the name of the king in the preamble of the documents as Ḥr-m-ȝḫt (Harmachis), but more recent scholars are convinced that the king's name was really Ḥr-wn-nfr (Haronnophris); see W. Clarysse, "Notes de prosopographie thébaine", pp.243-253 ( PDF ).

There is another German translation of A in the Demotic Palaeographical Database Project.


[A]   In year 4 in the month Athyr of King Haronnophris, the ever-living, beloved of Isis, beloved of Amonrasonter, the great god;   the woman Senobastis, the daughter of Pachnumis and Senamunis, says to the farmer, the servant of Amon, Psenesis, the son of Pa-Neit and Senesis:

You have satisfied my heart with the price in silver for 1½ land cubits = 150 square cubits (?) = 1½ land cubits again, from my property that is situated in the vicinity of my house, which belongs to me as part of my father's property that is situated in the temple land of Amon, west of the district of Koptos in the district of the persea tree in P-ohi-p-mhn. Its details are:

The ½ land cubit = 50 square cubits = ½ land cubit again, which belongs to my property, which lies to the north and east of my house, and to the east borders on your property, and which is in total 2¼ land cubits. Its boundaries are: To the south: The rest of my 2¼ land cubits; To the north: Your 3¼ land cubits, which belong to you and Paos, the son of Pa-Neit, your brother; To the east: The property of Petobastis, son of Kolluthos; To the west: Your house and my house.

Then the other land cubit = 100 square cubits = 1 land cubit again, of my property, which lies to the west of my house. Its boundaries are: To the south: The house and property of Portis, son of Pua-emöw; To the north: Your property; To the east: Our above-mentioned 2 houses; To the west: The King's Road.

These are the boundaries of the one land cubit mentioned above, which makes up the total of 1½ land cubits. I have given the plots of land to you. They belong to you, namely the above-mentioned 1½ land cubits = 150 square cubits = 1½ land cubits again.

I have received their price in silver from your hand, complete without any deficiency. My heart is satisfied with this. I have no claim in the world to make against you in regard to them from today onwards. If anyone proceeds against you in regard to them, in my name or in the name of any other person in the world, I will remove them from you. I will clear them for you from every document, every legal process and every claim in the world at all times. Their titles and their legal documents belong to you, in every place wherever they are. Every document that has been drawn up about them, and every document that has been drawn up for me about them, and every document by virtue of which I am authorised in regard to them, they belong to you together with their rights. To you belongs everything by which I have a right in their name. The oath and the proof that will be required of you in court in regard to the right of the above document that I have drawn up for you, if I am asked to do them {i.e. the oath and proof}, I will do them. I am far from you with regard to the above 1½ land cubits, about which I have written for you, and will not let any legal process or any claim in the world proceed against you.

Written by Petamenophis, the son of Petemestus, the scribe of Pois in the northern district, who writes in the name of the priests of Amonrasonter.

{ Back: Signatures of 16 witnesses: }



[B]   In year 4 in the month Athyr of King Haronnophris, the ever-living, beloved of Isis, beloved of Amonrasonter, the great god;   the farmer, the servant of Amon, Pachnumis, the son of Paos the elder and Tachnumis, says to the farmer, the servant of Amon, Paos, the son of Pa-Neit and Senesis:

You have satisfied my heart with the price in silver for 3 arouras = 2½¼⅛2/16 arouras = 3 arouras again, in my high field, which is situated in the temple land of Amon west of the district of Koptos (?) in the terrain of P-ohi-p-mhn on the north side of my field, which borders on your field in the east and west. The boundaries of the whole field are: To the south: The tree of Amon; To the north: Your field; To the east: The field of Psenesis, the son of Pachnumis the elder; To the west: The field of P-hatre-..., the son of Tesche (?) and the field of Apachte, the son of Nechutes (?).

These are the boundaries of the whole of the above field, of which I have given you 3 arouras on the north side next to your field on the east and west. I have given them to you. They belong to you, namely the above-mentioned 3 arouras = 2½¼⅛2/16 arouras = 3 arouras again.

I have received their price in silver from your hand, complete without any deficiency. My heart is satisfied with this. I have no claim in the world to make against you in regard to them. No man in the world - including myself - shall have control over them except you, from today onwards. If anyone proceeds against you in regard to them, in my name or in the name of any other man in the world, I will remove them from you. I will clear them for you from every document, every legal process and every claim in the world at all times. Their titles belong to you, and their legal rights, in every place wherever they are. Every document that has been drawn up about them, and every document that has been drawn up for me about them, and every document by virtue of which I am authorised in regard to them, they belong to you together with their rights. To you belongs everything by which I have a right in their name. The oath and the proof that will be required of you in court in regard to the right of the above document that I have drawn up for you, if I am asked to do them {i.e. the oath and proof}, I will do them, without letting any legal process or any claim in the world proceed against you. I am far from you with regard to your share of the field that is due to you in the name of Pa-Neit, the son of Paos, your father, my brother, on the north side of my above-mentioned field, next to which I have given you a field of 3 arouras from my share of the above-mentioned field without dissent.

The farmer, the servant of Amon, Paos the elder, the son of Pachnumis and Senminis, the eldest son, and Pa-Neit, the son of Pachnumis, his brother, say:   Receive the document from the hand of the servant of Amon Pachnumis, the son of Paos the elder, our above-mentioned father, so that he may act according to every word written above. Our heart is satisfied with it, without any dissent.

Written by Petamenophis, the son of Petemestus, the scribe of Pois in the northern district.

{ Back: Signatures of 16 witnesses: }




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