Lot 251: ANTIQUITIES. A nice Ptolemaic ostraca with Demotic script

A nice Ptolemaic ostraca in Demotic script, 3rd - 2nd Century BC, with thirteen lines of writing pertaining to accounting or tax collection. At the bottom of the piece are some lines which appears to have been wiped away and written over, one of the older words scribbled out. Reverse blank. 5 ½” x 3 ½” (13.9 x 8.7 cm). Some wearing of a few of the lines, but a nice example showing reuse. Ostraca were used extensively in Egypt as a cheaper substitute for papyrus. They are invaluable sources of data as they provide primary evidence for the functioning of the economy and the changes in the government of Egypt across the centuries. Ex Superior Galleries, 1991; Ex Orange County private collection. Estimated value $500-$700

• Offered By: VAuctions
• Lot #: 251
• Listing #: 193989
• Closed: Thursday, August 23, 2012 7:46:40 PM CT
• Estimate: $500