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Egyptian Texts:  6.25


DEED OF GIFT TO A DAUGHTER


Text:   P. Phil. Dem. 1   [ TM 43753 ]   ( now Cairo JE 89361 )
Provenance:   Drah' Abu el-Naga
Date:   317 B.C.
Script:   Demotic
Translated by:   N.J. Reich
Format:   see key to translations

This is the earliest known demotic document that has survived from the period following the death of Alexander the Great.   The translation is taken from N.J. Reich, "Mizraim", vol. 2, pp.57-69 ( archive.org ).


Year 7, the first month of the winter season {Tybi} of the king (l.p.h.) Philippos (l.p.h.).

Has declared the builder and potter of Djeme Pama son of Pahi, his mother being Teteharpre, to the woman Tamin daughter of Pama, her mother being Tama, my daughter:

I have given to you my house which is stone-built, roofed, which is in the south-eastern quarter of Djeme by the great wall of Djeme, 2 yours being the limit of Tahib daughter of Pama, her mother being Tama, my daughter, your younger sister, while the other half belongs to you. The boundaries of the house which is stone-built and roofed and which is written above are:   its south: the house of the pastophoros of Djeme by the name of Pasemis son of Peteamun which Petemnestou son of   has given away for money to the woman Tamin daughter of Ensmin, a supporting wall being 3 between [your parts and] the house of the woman Tamin daughter of Ensmin;   its north: the house of the builder and potter of Djeme by the name of Ensmin[-ẖr-nḥ] son of Peteamun his mother being Tshenmin;   its west: the great wall of Djeme;   its east: the the path of the god.These are the boundaries of my house which is described above which I have given to you and to Tahib daughter of Pama, her mother being Tama, my daughter, your younger sister. There belongs to you 4 half of it; there belongs to [her] its other half.

I have given it to you. Yours it is; your house, which is stone-built and roofed, of which the boundaries are described above, it is. I have no claim on earth against you in its name, or likewise son, daughter, brother, sister, or any man on earth from to-day onward. He that shall come unto you on account of it in my name, in the name of any man on earth, I likewise will cause him 5 to be removed from you; if I do not remove him voluntarily, I will remove him under compulsion. And I will purge it for you from every title-deed and every protestation on earth. Yours are its old title-deeds and its new title-deeds, in every place where they are, every document that has been made concerning it and every document that has been made for me concerning it: they are yours and their rights. Yours is that to which I am entitled from to-day onward without any assertion 6 of title or any other dealing against you.

Written by the . . . whose name is Nekhtmont son of Useruer.

{ list of 16 witnesses on the reverse: }

  1. Pkherkhons son of [Herieu] son of Pkherkhons
  2. Khensartais son of . . .
  3. Harmai son of Useruer
  4. Pathe son of Paneferho
  5. Hor son of Zeho son of Enshor
  6. Ensmin son of Yenharow
  7. Petenefhotp son of Petemnestow
  8. Enspewtow son of Amenartais
  9. Peteamenopi son of Phornufi
  10. Enshor son of Zeho
  11. The 'prophet of the king' whose name is Enshor
  12. He who belongs to the sacrificers of the libations
  13. Ensmin son of Peteharpre, the craftsman of Djeme
  14. Petemnestow son of Enspnuti, the sacrificer of Djeme
  15. Tuot son of Zeho
  16. Tieharpto son of Peteusir.



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