Digital Papyri at Houghton Library
Houghton Library’s collection of papyri consists of 84 manuscripts dating from the 3rd century BC to the 6th century AD. Most of the papyri come from Oxyrhynchus, but there are also papyri from Hibeh and from the Fayûm. The collection comprises both literary and documentary texts. They are all written in Greek except for one (P. Oxy. 6.987), which is a bookplate written in Coptic. These papyri were given to the Semitic Museum at Harvard by the Egypt Exploration Fund, London, between 1901 and 1909. The Semitic Museum received this “gift” in return for the purchase of a life membership in the Egypt Exploration Fund for $125 by Jacob H. Schiff, the museum’s principal benefactor. In 1960 the papyri were transferred to Houghton Library.
The papyri from Oxyrhynchus were first published by B. P. Grenfell, A. S. Hunt in the first six volumes of the Oxyrhynchus Papyri (London, 1898-1908). The papyri from Fayûm were published by B.P. Grenfell, A.S. Hunt and D.G. Hogarth in Fayûm Towns and their Papyri (London, 1900) and those from Hibeh by B.P. Grenfell and A.S. Hunt in The Hibeh Papyri, I (London, 1906). Among the literary texts, the most notable and best preserved is a papyrus of the Panegyricus of Isocrates (SM 6261). The collection holds also papyri of Homer, Plato, Thucydides, Demosthenes, Menander, and the Gospels. The documentary texts include contracts, petitions, lists, tax receipts, letters and other types of documents. They are primary sources for the study of the political, administrative and social history of the Ptolemaic and Roman Egypt.
This Web site provides strategies for searching Houghton's papyri as well as links to bibliographies related to these materials that were compiled by the Library. Permission to publish from any papyrus is granted at the discretion of the Curator. See Houghton's Reproductions and Permissions page for more information.
MS Gr SM2211 P.Oxy.1.8 Poem in hexameters, [ca. 50-150] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM2212 P.Oxy.1.46 Letter from Phanias and Diogenes to the agoranomi concerning land distribution, [100] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM2213 P.Oxy.1.92 Order to pay ten jars of wine, 335? Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM2214 P.Oxy.1.109 List of personal property, chiefly clothes, [ca. 275-ca. 399] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM2215 P.Oxy.1.170 Letter to the agoranomi : [ca. 77-ca. 83] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM2216 P.Oxy.1.180 Account: order to a banker : [2--?] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM2217 P.Oxy.1.200 Agreement by three parties to become sureties for a fourth, [5--] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM2218 P.Oxy.2.209 Romans 1:1-7, [ca. 300-ca. 350] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM2219 P.Oxy.1.284 Petition alleging extortion by a tax collector, [ca. 50] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM2220 P.Oxy.1.314 Receipt for taxes paid, [ca. 1 - ca. 50] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM2221 P.Oxy.1.328 Notice of a sale of land, [ca. 85] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM2222 P.Oxy.1.362 Acknowledgement of the repayment of a loan, 75 Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM2223 P.Fay.92 Bill of sale for a donkey, 126 Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM2224 P.Fay.157 Odyssey : 10. 366, 367, 373-402. [ca. 1 - ca. 200] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM2225 P.Fay.168 Receipt for tax, 175 or 176 Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM2226 P.Fay.197 Receipt for tax, 190 Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM2227 P.Fay.350 Receipt for poll tax, 170 Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM2228 P.Fay.360 Certificate for five days’ work at Theadelphia, 160 Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM2229 P.Fay.362 Certificate for five days’ work at Theadelphia, [between 138 and 161] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3734 P.Oxy.2.211 Perikeiromenē, [ca. 75-ca. 125] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3735 P.Oxy.3.401 Gospel of Matthew, [4-- or 5--] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3736 P.Oxy.3.402 First epistle of John in Greek, [4--] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3737 P.Oxy.3.446 The Iliad, [ca. 150-ca. 225] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3738 P.Oxy.3.447 The Iliad, [1--] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3739 P.Oxy.3.455 The Republic, [ca. 250-ca. 300] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3740 P.Oxy.3.456 The Republic, [ca. 175-ca. 225] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3741 P.Oxy.3.460 De pace, [ca. 200] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3742 P.Oxy.3.452 History of the Peloponnesian War, [1-- or 2--] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3743 P.Oxy.3.453 History of the Peloponnesian War, [ca. 175-ca. 225] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3744 P.Oxy.3.458 De falsa legatione, [2--] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3745 P.Oxy.3.461 On the crown, [2--] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3746 P.Oxy.3.462 On the crown, [2--] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3747 P.Oxy.3.552 Iliad, [1--] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3748 P.Oxy.3.553 The Iliad, [2--] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3749 P.Oxy.3.555 The Iliad, [2--] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3750 P.Oxy.3.556 The Iliad, [1-- or 2--] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3751 P.Oxy.3.557 The Iliad, [2--] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3752 P.Oxy.3.558 The Iliad, [ca. 175-ca. 300] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3753 P.Oxy.3.559 The Iliad, [1--] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3754 P.Fay.145 Order to make a payment, [1st cent. B.C.] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3755 P.Fay.147 Order to pay 2 artabae of wheat [1st cent. B.C.] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3756 P.Fay.148 Order to Acusilaus to pay 2 artabae of wheat, [1st cent. B.C.] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3757 P.Fay.149 Order to pay, [1st cent. B.C.] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3758 P.Fay.150 Order to pay various sums of wheat, [1st cent. B.C.] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3759 P.Fay.218 List of payments of various taxes, [1--] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3760 P.Fay.219 Receipt for payment of beer, [between 41 and 68] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3761 P.Fay.222 Document addressed to Philip the haigialophylax, [2--] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3762 P.Fay.225 Letter (?) to a thēsaurophylax, [1-- or 2--] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3763 P.Fay.227 List of payments from different villages, [2--] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3764 P.Fay.230 Report on taxes paid by different villages, 26 Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3765 P.Fay.299 Return of persons "epi xenēs", 30 or 31 Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3766 P.Fay.320 Account, [1-- or 2--] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM3767 P.Fay.321 Receipt for the payment of taxes, 62 or 63 Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM4356 P.Oxy.2.271 Contract transferring a debt, 56 Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM4357 P.Oxy.3.418 Commentary on Iliad 1, [ca. 175-ca. 225] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM4358 P.Oxy.3.533 Letter of Apion to his son Apion and Horion, [ca. 175-ca. 225] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM4359 P.Oxy.3.421 Poem in hexameters, [1--] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM4360 P.Oxy.3.422 Epic poem, [2--] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM4361 P.Oxy.3.428 Poem in iambics, [1--] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM4362 P.Oxy.3.423 Poem in hexameters, [2--] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM4363 P.Oxy.3.430 Poem in comic iambics, [ca. 175-ca. 225] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM4364 P.Oxy.3.431 Poem in comic iambics, [1--] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM4365 P.Oxy.3.434 Poem in hexameters, [2--] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM4366 P.Oxy.3.506 Contract for a loan, 143 Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM4367 P.Oxy.4.655 Gospel of Thomas, [ca. 200-ca. 250] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM4368 P.Oxy.4.700 De corona, [ca. 100 - ca. 199] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM4369 P.Oxy.4.701 Contra Timocratem, [ca. 175 - ca. 250] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM4370 P.Oxy.4.702 Contra Boeotum, [ca. 100-ca. 199] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM4371 P.Oxy.3.761 The Iliad, [ca. 50 B.C. - ca. 1 B.C] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM4372 P.Oxy.4.764 The Iliad, [2--] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM4373 P.Oxy.3.765 The Iliad, [2--] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM4374 P.Oxy.4.803 Letter, [ca. 50-100] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM4375 P.Hib.35 Petition by the administrators of a temple, [ca. 250 B.C.] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM4376 P.Hib.36 Report of the loss of a sheep, [229 or 228 B.C.] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM4377 P.Hib.83 Letter urging a payment of grain, [ca. 258-257 B.C.] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM4378 P.Hib.157 Account, [between 264 and 262 B.C.] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM4379 P.Hib.158 Document concerning wheat and olyra, [ca. 251 B.C.] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM4380 Text, [2--?] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM6158 P.Hib.9 Epic poetry, [ca. 300 - ca. 280 B.C.] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM6159 P.Hib.93 Contract of surety, [ca. 250 B.C.] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM6160 P.Hib.119 Account of rent, [ca. 260 B.C.] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM6161 P.Hib.166 Account of rent, [ca. 260 B.C.] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM6162a P.Oxy.5.844 Panegyricus, [ca. 100-130] Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM6162b " " Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM6162c " " Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM6162d " " Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM6162e " " Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM6162f " " Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM6162g(A) " " Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM6162g(B) " " Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM6162h " " Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM6162i " " Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM6162j " " Bibliography Digital Images MS Gr SM6162k " " Bibliography Digital Images MS Coptic 10 P.Oxy.6.987 Name within an ornamental border, [4--?] Bibliography Digital Images