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The University of Michigan Papyrus Collection

Learning About Papyrology

This page contains links to a variety of educational resources for beginning students and scholars alike to learn about papyrology. It is hoped that these resources will be used by educators to introduce their students to the world of the papyri, and also that anyone with an interest in this subject will find in these resources interesting and informative introductory material. More about these resources...

These resources provide the next best thing to studying actual ancient documents, which is unfortunately not possible for the majority of students. While students of Latin or Greek will find opportunities here to read ancient texts via digital images, knowledge of these languages is not a prerequisite to using these resources. Most of these pages can be enjoyed by students with minimal familiarity with ancient civilizations.

Introductory Material

What is Papyrology?

And what does a papyrologist do? If you've never even heard the word "papyrology" before, this is the place to find out what it means and even how to pronounce it.

Ancient Writing Materials

Wood tablets, wax tablets, parchment, papyrus, potsherds and even paper were used as writing materials in ancient times. Here you can learn about the variety of ancient writing materials that can be found in the Michigan collection.

See Also

Exhibits

Writing in Graeco-Roman Egypt

From birth certificates to magic spells, many things were written down in the ancient world. This informative exhibit features many photographs of objects and texts from the University of Michigan's holdings, used to illustrate the process and various uses of writing in ancient Egypt.

Papyrus Making 101

The art of papyrus making has been dead for a thousand years. Now, based on ancient methods, a local paper maker rediscovers the process of making a paper-like material from the stem of the papyrus plant. Follow along in this photo exhibit!

Education in Ancient Egypt

Ancient texts bring the educational system of Ptolemaic and Roman Egypt to life! See writing exercises, math projects, astronomical studies, copies of mythological poems, and more. You can also find information on teachers, schools, and apprencticeships.


Interactive Web Projects

Reading the Papyri

For students of all levels of Latin or Greek. This project gives you the chance to read a text from the Michigan collection. Never read an ancient papyrus before? No problem. Reading the Papyri guides you through every aspect of deciphering and translating the text.

Papyrus Puzzles

Fun for all students. Many papyri are discovered in a very fragmentary state. Working with these fragments can be a lot like solving a giant jigsaw puzzle.

The educational resources on this site are made possible by grants from the Dorot Foundation and the Center for Research on Learning and Teaching at the University of Michigan.

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