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Ancient Egyptian Texts:  6.5


MATRIMONIAL PROPERTY CONTRACTS


Text:   P. Carlsberg 34 & 35   = P. dem. Hawara 1 & 2   [ TM 41380 & TM 41381 ]
Provenance:   Hawara
Date:   (A) 239 B.C. ,   (B) 235 B.C.
Script:   Demotic
Translated by:   E. Lüddeckens
Format:   see key to translations

These two documents are not marriage contracts ( for which, see AET_6.2 ); they make no mention of key words such as 'wife'. Rather, they are contracts to ensure that the man provides ongoing maintenance for the woman, even in situations such as divorce. For an analysis of this type of Demotic document, see I. Kato, "Demotic Matrimonial Property Contracts Recorded in the sʿnḫ-documents" ( PDF ).

On the same day as document A, the man 'Ankhmerwer' sold a third share in a house to the woman 'Herankh' ( P.dem.Chic.Haw. 9 ). The woman 'Tayirw' also gave her consent to the house sale.



[A]   Regnal year 8, in the first month of the winter season {Tybi}, of Pharaoh Ptolemy the ever-living, son of Ptolemy and Arsinoe, the brother-loving, the Sibling Gods; when the priest of Alexander and the Sibling Gods and of the Beneficent Gods is Onomastos son of Pyrgon, while Archestrate daughter of Ctesicles is basket-bearer {kanephoros} of gold before Arsinoe the brother-loving. Thus said the God’s Seal-bearer and Embalmer ʿNh-Mr-ʿwrȝ, son of Pȝ-tj-nȝ-ntr.w, his mother being Ta-Rnn.t, to the lady Hr-ʿnh, daughter of the God’s Seal-bearer and Embalmer Mȝʿ-Rʿ, her mother being Nb.t-tȝ-hj (?) :

You gave me 10 pieces of silver from the pieces of the treasury of Ptah poured out in full, makes 9 pieces of silver and 9 2/3 1/6 1/10 1/30 1/60 1/60 Kite, makes 10 pieces of silver from the 10 pieces of the treasury of Ptah poured out in full, again, as your endowment. I have to give you: 36 measures of emmer each 40 hins, makes 24 measures of barley each 40 hins, makes 36 measures of emmer each 40 hins again and 1 piece of silver and 2 kiti of the pieces of the treasury of Ptah poured out in full, makes 1 piece of silver and 1 2/3 1/6 1/10 1/30 1/60 1/60 kiti, makes 1 piece of silver and 2 kiti from the pieces of the treasury of the Ptah poured out in full again, for your food and clothing annually in the place where you wish. It is you who have authority over the remainder of your food and clothing, which will be my responsibility, and I will give it to you. Anything and everything that belongs to me at present and that I will yet acquire is the pledge of your above endowment. If you are required to swear an oath to me, you will swear it to me in the place where the judges are. The above contact I will perform for you because you are entitled to claim from me as to the obligations of all the contracts that I previously made with you, and I will perform my obligations to you, just as you also perform the obligations of the above contact."

Then said the lady Tj-ir=w, daughter of the God’s Seal-bearer and Embalmer Pȝ-tj-Wsir, her mother being Tȝ-nfr-rnp.t: "[Write] and do all the above things. [My heart] is content with that."

She went on to say: "I confirm this above consent because I am entitled to claim from the God’s Seal-bearer and Embalmer ʿNh-Mr-wr, son of Pȝ-tj-nȝ-ntr.w, his mother being Ta-Rnn.t, in respect of the obligations of all contracts which he has made out for me. He has to perform these obligations for me, and I will perform the obligations of the above consent".

Written by Hnȝ, son of Pȝ-tj-Hr-pȝ-tj-ʿIs.t.

{ in Greek: }

In year 8 on the 19th of Tybi, the contract was placed in the archive chest in Krokodilopolis in Arsinoites by Epiphanes, the subordinate of Rhodokles.

In year 8 on the 19th of Tybi, the contract was placed in the archive chest in the presence of Dionysios, the subordinate of Boethos.

[B]   Regnal Year 12, in month 4 of the Summer Season {Mesore} - the Five Feast Days, Day of the "Birth of Osiris" - of Pharaoh Ptolemy, the Ever-Living, son of Ptolemy and Arsinoe, the Brother-Loving, the Sibling Gods, when the Priest of Alexander and [the] Sibling Gods and of the Beneficent Gods is Sosibios, son of Dioskorides, while Berenice the daughter of Neoptolemus is bearer of gold {kanephoros} before Arsinoe, the brother-lover. Thus said the God’s Seal-bearer and Embalmer Sbk-htp, son of ʿNh-Hp, his mother being ʿIhj-htp (?), to the lady Nȝ-nfr-Sbk, daughter of God’s Seal-bearer and Embalmer S-wsr, called Gḏwȝ, her mother being Tȝ-dj-Wsir:

You have satisfied my heart with 21 pieces of silver from the pieces of the treasury of Ptah, poured out in full, makes pieces of silver and 9 2/3 1/6 1/10 1/30 1/60 1/60 kiti, makes 21 pieces of silver from the pieces of the treasury of Ptah poured out in full, again, as your endowment. Everything and everything that belongs to me currently and that I will yet acquire belongs to the children that you will bear for me: houses, fields, yards, property, slaves, female slaves, cattle, donkeys, every small livestock, every service, every deed, every writ, every thing of any free man in the world of mine. I have to give to you: 72 measures of emmer each 40 hins, makes 48 measures of barley each 40 hins, makes 72 measures of emmer each 40 hins, again and 2 pieces of silver and 4 kiti of the pieces of the treasury of Ptah, poured out in full, makes 2 pieces of silver and 3 2/3 1/6 1/10 1/30 1/60 1/60 kiti, makes 2 pieces of silver and 4 kiti from the pieces of the treasury of Ptah poured out in full again, as your food and clothing yearly in the place where you desire it. It is you who are in authority as to the remainder of your food and clothing, which will be my responsibility, and I will give it to you. Anything and everything that belongs to me currently and that I will yet acquire is the pledge of your above endowment. I will not be able to say to you: "Take your above endowment". On the day that you desire it, I will give it to you. If you are required to make an oath [to me], you will make it for me in the place where the judges reside.

Written by Hn, son of Pȝ-tj-Hr-pȝ-tj-ʿIs.t.

Reign Year 12, which makes Reign Year 13, Month 4 of the Summer Season {Mesore} - the Five Feast Days, Day of the "Birth of Osiris". The contract was deposited in the archive chest at Hawara by Hn, the son of Pa-n-ʿIs.t, the tax collector.

{ in Greek: }

In year 13 on the 30th Thoth, the contract was deposited in the archive chest in the labyrinth in the Heracleides district by Dionysios, also called Dorion, the subordinate of Moschion; a maintenance contract of 400 drachmas, which Sochotes son of Achoapis, gave to Nephersuchis daughter of Kasus, through Hanos her guardian.


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