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Ancient Egyptian Texts:  6.18


PAYMENT FOR THE ANNUAL MAINTENANCE OF A DAUGHTER


Text:   P. Eheverträge 2 D   [ TM 43839 ]
Provenance:   Memphis
Date:   Jan./Feb. 316 B.C.
Script:   Demotic
Translated by:   E.A.E. Reymond
Format:   see key to translations

Many Egyptian contracts have survived from the Ptolemaic period, in which husbands agree to provide for the financial security of their wives; see I. Kato, "Demotic Matrimonial Property Contracts Recorded in the sʿnḫ Documents" academia.edu ). According to some scholars, this unusual document is a similar contract, in which the father of the bride makes a down payment to his son-in-law for his daughter's maintenance. However, the text does not explicitly state that the unnamed recipient is the husband of the daughter.

The translation is adapted from the French translation by E.A.E. Reymond, "Papyrus no. 219 de la Bibliothèque Nationale de Paris" ( ZÄS, 1984 ). There is a German translation by W. Spiegelberg, "Demotische Papyri", pp.41-42 ( PDF ).


Year 8, in the month of Athyr, of king Philip. Said the merchant, the slave of Hor-Khenty-Khety the great [god], Komoapis son of Pe-bek, his mother being Chemty, to . . .

You handed over to me 6 deben of silver from Ptah's treasury, refined, which is 5 deben of silver 9 kite + 2/3 + 1/6 + 1/10 + 1/30 + 1 /60 + 1/60, which makes 6 deben of silver from the treasury of Ptah, refined, again, taken from [the] hereditary choachyte (?) annuity belonging to the lady Tjai-emow, your daughter, her mother being Te-pkhenty-neteri (?). I will refund the money to you . . . from the treasury of Ptah, refined, again, for the sake of her annual maintenance, to the foundation you desire. You are the one who demands [the] security of her maintenance, which will be my responsibility. I will pay . . . the oath to you to establish it for me, if you make it for me in the place where the judges are.

Written by Thortaios, son of Imhotep.


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