Miniature Manuscripts - CoptOT Public

List of Coptic Pocket and Miniature Manuscripts

Alin Suciu, 17/02/2020
N.B. Here are all the Coptic manuscripts I know of max. 12 × 10 cm. The list does not include the Bohairic small size manuscripts (which are late productions) and the Sahidic paper codices (also late). Any suggestion is welcome.

	Location	Manuscript	Contents	Size (h × w)	Dialect	Material
1	Montserrat Abbey	P. Monts Roca inv. 760[1] Schøyen Collection MS 1363	Song of Songs 4:8-9, 8:1-4 Song of Songs 4:12-14, 5:8-9	9 × 5 cm	Sahidic	parchment
2	Washington, Freer collection	Fragment no. 2	Matthew 1:22ff.	9 × 5.8 cm	Sahidic	parchment
3	Washington, Freer collection	MS no. 1	Psalms	8 × 7 cm	Sahidic	parchment
4	Washington, Freer collection	Fragment no. 9	Job 24:19-25:3, 27:10-19	8.5 × 7 cm	Sahidic	parchment
5	London, British Library; Berlin, Staatsbibliothek	BL Or. 3518; Or. oct. 408[2]	Apocalypse	9 × 7 cm	Sahidic	parchment
6	Louvain, Université catholique	Lefort no. 27[3]	Anaphora	8 × 7 cm	Sahidic	parchment
7	Crum, Coptic MSS Brought from the Fayyum	Plate 2[4]	Catholic Epistles	10 × 8 cm	Sahidic	parchment
8	Washington, Freer collection	Fragment no. 1	Psalms	10 × 9 cm	Sahidic	parchment
9	Montserrat Abbey	P. Monts Roca II 28[5]	1 Thessalonians 5:24-28; 2 Thessalonians 1:1-18	9.4 × 8.6 cm	Sahidic	parchment
10	Ann Arbor, Michigan University Library	MS 166	Letter of Abgar; Paul of Tamma, Epistula, De cella; Ecclesiastes; Song of Songs; Ruth	9.5 × 8 cm	Sahidic	parchment
11	Dublin, Chester Beatty Library	Codex C (originally two separate MSS)	Psalms 1-50; Matthew 1:1-2:1	10.5 × 8.5 cm; 9.5 × 8.5 cm	Sahidic	parchment
12	Chicago, University of Chicago	No. 10485[6]	Proverbs	11 × 8 cm	Sahidic	parchment
13	Princeton	P. Cotsen 1[7]	Biblical texts, ascetic writings and school exercises	11.5 × 9.5 cm	Sahidic	parchment
14	Dublin, Chester Beatty Library	Codex B	Acts of the Apostles; Gospel of John	12 × 10 cm	Sahidic	parchment
15	New York, Morgan Library and Museum	Codex Glazier[8]	Acts of the Apostles 1:1-15:3	12 × 10 cm	Middle Egyptian	parchment
16	Oxford, Bodleian Library	Crum, Wadi Sarga[9]	Melito of Sardes, On Passover	12 × 10 cm	Sahidic	parchment
17	Cairo, Coptic Museum (?)	Qasr el-Wizz 65-10-61[10]	Stephen of Thebes, Sermo asceticus	Less than 10 × 10 cm	Sahidic	parchment
18	Harvard University, Sackler Art Museum	1984.669[11]	Oracles	7.5 × 6.8 cm	Sahidic	parchment
19	Cambridge, Corpus Christi College	MS 541 78[12]	Oracles	8 × 5+ cm	Middle Egyptian	parchment
20	Helsinki, Helsinki University	Ilves collection	Anaphora	7.8 × 6.8 cm	Sahidic	parchment
21	London, British Library	Or. 5438(1)[13] = Crum 264	Paul of Tamma, De cella	7 × 6.5 cm	Sahidic	parchment
22	Manchester, John Rylands	P.Ryl. Copt. Ms 7	Proverbs 23:34-24:7, 23-27	6.5 × 6.2 cm	Sahidic	parchment
23	Montserrat Abbey	P. Monts. Roca inv. no. 735[14]	Paul of Tamma, De Humilitate; Anoup, Commandments	5 × 5.8 cm	Sahidic	parchment
24	Cambridge University Library	No siglum (new Thompson fragments)	Susanna	7 × 6.5 cm	Sahidic	parchment
25	Cambridge University Library	No siglum (new Thompson fragments)	Unidentified (sermon?)	5.5 × 4.5 cm	Sahidic	parchment
26	Moscow, Pushkin Museum	I.1.b.670[15]	Psalms	ca. 8 × 7 cm	Sahidic	parchment
27	Schøyen Collection	MS 1365[16]	Acts 7 :40; 11:24-28	7 × 6 cm	Sahidic	parchment
28	Köln, University Library	P. Köln 492 – Inv. 20838e[17]	Acts of Phileas	7.5 × 5.7 cm	Sahidic	parchment
29	Unknown location		Greek-Coptic glossary[18]	6.8 × 6.3 cm	Sahidic	parchment
30	Helsinki, Helsinki University	Ilves Collection	Unidentified literary text	6.8 × 6.7 cm	Sahidic	parchment
31	Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek	K 8693	Proverbs 27:9-22	7.5+ × 7.5 cm	Sahidic	parchment
32	London, British Library	BL Or. 5287(4) = Crum 941	Psalms	9 × 7 cm	Sahidic	parchment
33	London, British Library	BL Or. 13886(4) = Layton 113	Unidentified (Testimonies on Christology)	6.3 × 4.8 cm	Sahidic	parchment
34	Barcelona, Palau Ribes	PPalau Rib. Inv. 77	Unidentified literary text	????	Sahidic	parchment
35	Montserrat Abbey	P.Monts.Roca inv. 98	Unidentified literary text	6 × 5 cm	Sahidic	parchment
36	London, British Library	BL Or. 5287(5) = Crum 948	Psalms 113:18-114:7, 118:61-77	9.5 × 8.9 cm	Sahidic	parchment
37	New Haven, Beinecke Library	P.CtYBR inv. 2118[19]	Proverbs 20:28-21:4, 21:6-16	8.5 × 8.4 cm	Sahidic	parchment
38	Berlin, Papyrussammlung	P. Berol. 10585	Galatians	7.6 × 8.7 cm	Sahidic	parchment
39	Berlin, Papyrussammlung	P. Berol. 11949	John 4:1-10	10.5 × 8.8 cm	Sahidic	parchment
40	Oxford, Bodleian Library	e.17	Martyrdom of Paphnutius	8.4 × 8.2 cm	Sahidic	parchment
41	Oxford, Bodleian Library	f.8, f.9, d.187a	Anaphora	7.6 × 7.6 cm	Sahidic	parchment
42	Oxford, Bodleian Library	f.10	Unidentified literary text	7.6 × 6.3 cm	Sahidic	parchment
43	Oxford, Bodleian Library	f.11	Unidentified literary texts?	6.3 × 6.3 cm	Sahidic	parchment
44	Oxford, Bodleian Library	f.13	Unidentified literary text	9.5 × 5 cm	Sahidic	parchment
45	Oxford, Bodleian Library	f.103	Acts of Andrew	8.3 × 7 cm	Sahidic	parchment
46	Jena, University Library	P.Ien. inv. 649	Acts of Andrew	ca. 5.9 × 5 cm	Sahidic	parchment
47	Oxford, Bodleian Library	g.88	Unidentified literary text	???	Sahidic	parchment
48	Oxford, Bodleian Library	g.4	Matthew 10:14-21	7 × 6.3 cm	Sahidic	parchment
49	Oxford, Bodleian Library	g.5	2 Timothy 2:20-22; Titus 1 :1-6	9.5 × 8.8 cm	Sahidic	parchment
50	Oxford, Bodleian Library	g.6-7	Life of Hamoi	9.5 × 8.2 cm	Sahidic	parchment
51	Oxford, Bodleian Library	g.8	Unidentified literary text	9.5 × 8.2 cm	Sahidic	parchment
52	Oxford, Bodleian Library	g.9	Isaiah	5 × 5 cm	Sahidic	parchment
53	Heidelberg, University Library	P.Heid. Inv. Kopt. 452	James	6 × 6.5 cm	Old Bohairic	parchment
54	London, British Library	Or. 4916(7) = Crum 947	Psalms 106:9-18, 108:13, 14, 16, 17	7.3 × 5 cm	Sahidic	parchment
55	London, British Library	Or. 4916(4) = Crum 936	1 Samuel 29:5-9, 30:21-24	7.6 × 7.9 cm	Sahidic	parchment
56	London, British Library	Or. 4919(4) = Crum 340	Timothy of Alexandria, Miracles of Mena	8.5 × 8.2 cm	Sahidic	parchment
57	London, British Library	Or. 5438(2) = Crum 265	1 Peter	6.3 × 4.4 cm	Sahidic	parchment
58	London, British Library	Or. 4916(6) = Crum 446	Psalms 105:4-10, 145:10-146:8	9.8 × 8.8 cm	Sahidic	parchment
59	Berlin, Papyrussammlung	P. Berol. 11948[20]	Athanasius of Alexandria, Letter	10 × 7.2 cm	Sahidic	parchment
60	London, British Library	Or. 6696(1)-(2)	Psalms	9.5 × 8 cm	Sahidic	parchment
61	Louvain, Université catholique	Lefort no. 47	Unidentified literary text	8.5 × 7 cm	Sahidic	parchment
62	London, British Library	Or. 6877 = Layton 64	Anaphora	9.5 × 7.5 cm	Sahidic	parchment
63	Unknown location (from Antinoe)	Inv. 18.10.2005	4 Maccabees 5	???	Sahidic	parchment
64	Copenhagen, Carlsberg Collection	P. Carlsberg 500	Medical recipes	9 × 8 cm	Sahidic	parchment
65	Halle, Seminar für Klassische Altertumswissenschaften	P. Hal. Inv. 57	Psalms 13:6-14:3; Psalms 16:6-11.	8.2 × 7.1 cm	Sahidic	parchment
66	Halle, Seminar für Klassische Altertumswissenschaften	P. Hal. Inv. 58	Galatians 1:5-9	8.5 × 6.8 cm	Sahidic	parchment
67	Heidelberg, University Library	P.Heid. Inv. Kopt. 439 + 441	Psalms 144:8-14; 144:14-21	ca. 9 × 7 cm	Sahidic	parchment
68	Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek	K 8696	Unidentified	???	Sahidic	parchment
69	Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek	K 67	Ruth 3:14-18; 4:1-3	9.2 × 9.5 cm	Sahidic	parchment
70	Durham, NC, Duke University	P.Duk.inv. 282	Isaiah 37 or Kings 19	???	Sahidic	parchment
71	Utrecht, University Library	B.5.6.2	2 Timothy 1:5-8, 9-10	5.7* × 8.1 cm	Sahidic	parchment

[1] S. Torallas Tovar, Biblia Coptica Montserratensia. P. Monts. Roca II (Orientalia Montseratensia, 2; Barcelona: Publicacions de l’Abadia de Montserrat – Consejo superior de investigaciones coentíficas, 2007) 55-58.

[2] W.E. Crum, Catalogue of the Coptic Manuscripts in the British Museum (London: British Museum, 1905) 29a-b (= no. 142).

[3] L.-T. Lefort, Les manuscrits coptes de l’Université de Louvain vol. 1: Textes littéraires (Louvain: Bibliothèque de l’Université, 1940) 102-104 and pl. 9.

[4] W.E. Crum, Coptic Manuscripts Brought from the Fayyum (London: David Nutt, 1893) 2-5 (= no. 2) and pl. 1b.

[5] Torallas Tovar, Biblia Coptica, 111-113.

[6] W. Worrell, The Proverbs of Solomon in Sahidic Coptic according to the Chicago Manuscript (The University of Chicago Oriental Institute Publications, 12; Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1931).

[7] S. Bucking, “A Sahidic Coptic Manuscript in the Private Collection of Lloyd E. Cotsen (P. Cotsen 1) and the Limits of Papyrological Interpretation,” Journal of Coptic Studies 8 (2006) 55-78; Idem, Practice Makes Perfect: P. Cotsen-Princeton 1 and the Training of Scribes in Byzantine Egypt (Cotsen Occasional Papers; Los Angeles: Cotsen Children’s Library, 2011).

[8] H.-M. Schenke, Apostelgeschichte 1, 1-15, 3 Im Mittelägyptischen Dialekt des Koptischen (Codex Glazier) (Texte und Untersuchungen, 137; Berlin: Akademie Verlag, 1991).

[9] W.E. Crum, Wadi Sarga (Coptica, 3; Copenhagen: Gyldendalske Boghandel-Nordisk Forlag, 1922) 47-49 and pl. 1.

[10] This fragment was discovered in 1965 at Qasr el-Wizz. The fragment has been sent to me for identification by Alexandros Tsakos in 2013. Unfortunately, the whereabouts of the fragment are unknown.

[11] A. Luijendijk, Forbidden Oracles?: The Gospel of the Lots of Mary (Studien und Texte zu Antike und Christentum, 89; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2014).

[12] Cf. S. Clackson, “Corpus Christi College Library MS. 541 Hoskyns Collection,” 5 (unpublished checklist dated 8/5/2002).

[13] A. Suciu, “Sitting in the Cell: The Literary Development of an Ascetic Praxis in Paul of Tamma’s Writings. With an Edition of Some Hitherto Unknown Fragments of De Cella,” Journal of Theological Studies n.s. 68 (2017) 141-171.

[14] S. Torallas Tovar, “A New Sahidic Coptic Fragment: Sortes Sanctorum or Apophthegmata Patrum?,” Journal of Coptic Studies 17 (2015) 153-164.

[15] A.I. Elanskaya, The Literary Coptic Manuscripts in the A.S. Pushkin State Fine Arts Museum in Moscow (Supplements to Vigiliae Christianae, 18; Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1994) 408-410.

[16] Hans-Gerhard Bethge, “Neue Bibeltexte: Fragmente koptischer Handscriften - Ein Werkstattbericht,” in Ägypten und Nubien in spätantiker und christlicher Zeit, Akten des 6. Internationalen Koptologenkongresses Münster, 20-26. Juli 1996 Vol. 2: Schrifttum, Sprache und Gedankenwelt (Wiesbaden: Reichert Verlag, 1999).

[17] G. Schenke, “Ein koptischer Textzeuge der Acta Phileae”, in Honi soit qui mal y pense. Studien zum pharaonischen, griechisch-römischen und spätantiken Ägypten zu Ehren von Heinz-Josef Thissen (Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta, 194; Leuven–Paris–Walpole, MA: Peeters, 2010) 609-615; Idem, “P.Köln 492: Das Martyrium des Phileas von Thmuis”, in Kölner Papyri vol. 12, ed. by Ch. Armoni et al., Paderborn–München–Wien–Zürich: Verlag Ferdinand Schöningh, 2010b (Papyrologica Coloniensia, 7/12, Abhandlungen der Nordrhein Westfälischen Akademie der Wissenschaften), 209–213; A. Bausi, “The Coptic Version of the Acta Philae,” COMST Newsletter 8 (July 2014) 11-13.

[18] H.I. Bell and W.E. Crum, "A Greek Coptic Glossary," Aegyptus 6 (1925) 177-226. See https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20475/lot/1002/

[19] S. Emmel, “Coptic Biblical Texts in the Beinecke Library,” Journal of Coptic Studies 1 (1990) 13-28.

[20] M. Pieper, “Zwei Blätter aus dem Osterbrief des Athanasius vom Jahre 364 (Pap.Berol.11948),” Zeitschrift für die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft 37 (1938) 73-76; A. Camplani, “Athanasio e Eusebio tra Alessandria e Antiochia (362-363): Osservazioni sul Tomus ad Antiochenos, l’Epistula catholica e due fogli copti (edizione di Pap.Berol. 11948),” in E. Covolo – R. Uglione – G.M. Vian (eds.), Eusebio di Vercelli e il suo tempo (Roma 1997).

There are only a few manuscripts in the table above which can be dated with some degree of certitude. The five codices that came from the Monastery of Apa Jeremias are dated slightly before 600 CE, on the basis of some coins discovered together with them. With the exception of these manuscripts, only Codex Glazier can be more or less accurately dated. Thus, 14C tests made upon a small piece of the wrapping band of this manuscript were done 1994, indicating a production-date between 420 and 598.

It seems therefore that in the 5th-6th century CE such small format manuscripts were very fashionable in Egypt. They were probably vademecums intended for personal use, as suggested not only by their small format, but also by the particularly beautiful calligraphy of some of these manuscripts.

William Worrell speculated that the small-size manuscripts were made out of the scraps which remained after the parchment was cut off for the manufacture of larger codices. This is a palatable explanation for the presence of the pilosity marks on the skin from which these manuscript are made. It is a well known fact that the pilosity holes tend to enlarge at the edges of the animal’s skin. As to the provenance of the manuscripts, Worrell maintained their possible Fayyumic origin. While some of these manuscripts came indeed from Middle Egypt, it is difficult to establish if the production of such artifacts can indeed be confined to this region. For example, the fragments from Stephen of Thebes’ Sermo asceticus were discovered in 1965 at Qasr el-Wizz in Nubia, albeit this manuscript was most likely imported from Egypt.