Textbook of Aramaic Documents from Ancient Egypt

The Textbook of Aramaic Documents from Ancient Egypt, often referred to as TAD or TADAE, is a four volume corpus of Aramaic inscriptions written in Egypt during the Ancient Egyptian period, written by Bezalel Porten and Ada Yardeni.

Originally envisaged to be the Corpus Papyrorum Aramaicarum, following the Corpus Papyrorum Judaicarum, it grew to incorporate all Aramaic inscriptions from the region, not just on papyrus, so the title was changed – this time borrowing from J. C. L. Gibson's 1971 Textbook of Syrian Semitic Inscriptions.

Each of volumes 1-3 contains 40-50 texts (vol. 1 letters (A); vol. 2 contracts (B); vol. 3 literary texts (C)), and volume 4 contains 478 texts, including D1-5: 216 papyrus fragments; D6: 14 leather; D7-10: 87 ostraca. The collection does not include the Saqqarah papyri and most of the Clermont-Ganneau ostraca.Gianto, A. (2000). [Review of Textbook of Aramaic Documents from Ancient Egypt. Newly Copied, Edited and Translated into English. 4: Ostraca and Assorted Inscriptions (Texts and Studies for Students), by B. Porten & A. Yardeni]. Biblica, 81(3), 443–445. http://www.jstor.org/stable/42614297Dion, P.-E. (2000). [Review of Textbook of Aramaic Documents from Ancient Egypt. Newly Copied, Edited and Translated into Hebrew and English, Vol. 4: Ostraca and Assorted Inscriptions, by B. Porten & A. Yardeni]. Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research, 318, 77–79. https://doi.org/10.2307/1357731

It is the standard reference textbook for the Aramaic Elephantine papyri and ostraca, as well as other examples of Egyptian Aramaic, which together provide the primary extant examples of Imperial Aramaic worldwide.

Concordance NameDiscovered Date Location TAD Cowley (C) Grelot Other ref Museum number Adon Papyrus1942 600s BCE A1.1 KAI 266 Hermopolis Aramaic papyri 1945 400-500 BCE University of Cairo A2.1 28 Bresciani-Kamil 4Edda Bresciani; Murād Kāmil, 1966, Le lettere aramaiche di Hermopoli, Memorie (Accademia nazionale dei Lincei. Classe di scienze morali, storiche e filologiche)., ser. 8 ;, v. 12, fasc. 5. A2.2 26 Bresciani-Kamil 2 A2.3 25 Bresciani-Kamil 1 A2.4 27 Bresciani-Kamil 3 A2.5 29 Bresciani-Kamil 5 A2.6 30 Bresciani-Kamil 6 A2.7 31 Bresciani-Kamil 7 Private Letters 1906-08 400-500 BCE Egyptian Museum A3.1 54 - Sachau 39 Pap. No. 3456 = J. 43493 A3.2 55 - Sachau 40 Pap. No. 3457 = J. 43494 Padua Aramaic papyri1815-19 (published 1960) Museo Civico di Padova A3.3 14 Aramaic Papyrus 1 A3.4 Aramaic Papyrus 2 1906-08 Egyptian Museum A3.5 41 - Sachau 13 Pap. No. 3437 = J. 43474 A3.6 40 16 Sachau 14 Pap. No. 3438 = J. 43475 A3.7 39 15 Sachau 12 Pap. No. 3436 = J. 43473 A3.8 42 17 Sachau 16 Pap. No. 3440 = J. 43477 Wilbour Aramaic papyrus1893 Brooklyn Museum A3.9 Kraeling 13 Brooklyn Museum 47.218.151 1970 Egyptian Museum of Berlin A3.10 P. Berlin 23000 1959 Museo Archeologico di Firenze A3.11 Inv. n. 11913 Jedaniah Communal Archive Passover Letter1906-08 419 - 407 BCE Egyptian Museum of Berlin A4.1 21 96 Sachau 6 P. 13464 Egyptian Museum A4.2 37 97 Sachau 10 Pap. No. 3434 = J. 43471 A4.3 38 98 Sachau 11 Pap. No. 3435 = J. 43472 Egyptian Museum of Berlin and Egyptian Museum of Cairo A4.4 56+34 100 Sachau 15 Berlin P. 13456 + Pap. No. 3439 = J. 43476Strasbourg Aramaic papyrus1898 Bibliothèque Nationale et Universitaire (Strasbourg) A4.5 27 101 Aram. 21906-08 Egyptian Museum of Berlin A4.6 66 P. 13445Temple Reconstruction Letter A4.7 30 102 Sachau 1 P. 13495 Egyptian Museum A4.8 31 102 Sachau 2 Pap. No. 3428 = J. 43465 Egyptian Museum of Berlin A4.9 32 103 Sachau 3 P. 13497 Egyptian Museum A4.10 33 104 Sachau 5 Pap. No. 3430 = J. 43467 Official (semi-official) Letters Maspero Saqqara Aramaic papyrus1902 436 - 300s BCE Académie des Inscriptions A5.1 Inscriptions 5-7 1906-08 Egyptian Museum A5.2 16 18 Sachau 7 Pap. No 3431 = J. 43468 Turin Aramaic Papyrus1824 Musco Egizio di Torino A5.3 70 CIS II 144 Prov. 645 Memphis Serapeum Aramaic papyrus1862 Egyptian Museum A5.4 76 CIS II 151 Pap. No. 3654 = J. 59204 Maspero Elephantine Aramaic papyrus1902 A5.5 80 RES 248 Académie des Inscriptions 2-4 The Letters of Arsames and his Colleagues 1906-08 427 - 400 BCE Egyptian Museum A6.1 17 60 Sachau 4 Pap. No. 3429 = J. 43466 A6.2 26 61 Sachau 8 Pap. No. 3432 = J. 434691933 (published 1954) Bodleian Library A6.3 64 Driver 3 + Frag 7.1 Pell. Aram. VII A6.4 62 Driver 2 + Frag 9.6 Pell. Aram. IV (bottom left) + XII A6.5 63 Driver 1 and 1a Pell. Aram. VI A6.6 Driver Frag. 5 A6.7 66 Driver 5 Pell. Aram. IV A6.8 65 Driver 4 Pell. Aram. II A6.9 67 Driver 6 Pell. Aram. VIII A6.10 68 Driver 7 Pell. Aram. I A6.11 69 Driver 8 Pell. Aram. XIII A6.12 70 Driver 9 Pell. Aram. III A6.13 71 Driver 10 Pell. Aram. IX A6.14 72 Driver 11 Pell. Aram. V A6.15 73 Driver 12 Pell. Aram. XIV A6.16 74 Driver 13 Pell. Aram. X Mibtahiah archive B2.1 5 32 Sayce-Cowley A B2.2 6 33 Sayce-Cowley B B2.3 8 34 Sayce-Cowley D B2.4 9 35 Sayce-Cowley C B2.5 48 - Sachau 38 B2.6 15 38 Sayce-Cowley G B2.7 13 36 Sayce-Cowley E Quit Claim B2.8 14 37 Sayce-Cowley F B2.9 20 39 Sayce-Cowley H B2.10 25 40 Sayce-Cowley J B2.11 28 41 Sayce-Cowley K Anani archive B3.1 10 4 Sachau 28Mika cedes property to Anani b. Azariah Brooklyn Museum B3.2 42 Kraeling 1+18Anani b. Azariah marriage to Tamut B3.3 43 Kraeling 2Bagazusht and Ubil sell house to Anani b. Azariah B3.4 44 Kraeling 3Gift from man to wife B3.5 45 Kraeling 4Emancipation of female slave B3.6 46 Kraeling 5Father-daughter adjoining house B3.7 47 Kraeling 6Ananiah son of Haggai marriage B3.8 48 Kraeling 7+15Slave adoption B3.9 49 Kraeling 8Father-daughter gift B3.10 50 Kraeling 9Father-daughter house donation B3.11 51 Kraeling 10Sale contract B3.12 53 Kraeling 12Grain loan B3.13 52 Kraeling 11 B4.1 49 1 Sachau 44 B4.2 11 3 Sayce-Cowley L B4.3 3 - Sachau 26 B4.4 2 54 Sachau 25 B4.5 29 6 Sachau 29 B4.6 35 7 Sachau 35 B5.1 1 2 Sachau 30 B5.2 65,3+67,3 B5.3 B5.4 47 - Sachau 37 B5.5 43 8 Sachau 33 B6.1 Kraeling 14 B6.2 36 - Sachau 9 B6.3 46 - Sachau 31 B6.4 18 5 Sachau 34 B7.1 45 11 Sachau 36 B7.2 7 9 Sachau 27 B7.3 44 10 Sachau 32 B7.4 59 Sachau 47 Lepsius Aramaic papyrus 1849 B8.5 69 CIS II 149 Literary Texts Story of Ahikar 1906-08 Egyptian Museum of Berlin and Egyptian Museum of Cairo C1.1 (+3.7) Sachau 49-52, 54-59 Berlin P. 13446A-H, K-L + Pap. No. 3465 = J. 43502 Blacas papyri 1825 British Library C1.2 71 CIS II 145 Pap. 106 Historical Texts Behistun papyrus 1906-08 Egyptian Museum of Berlin C2.1 (+3.13) Sachau 61-62 P. 13447 Accounts 1880s (published 1915) Egyptian Museum C3.1 RÉS 1791 Pap. No. 3466 = J. 36499 Göttingen papyrus 1884 (published 1974) Göttingen State and University Library C3.2 Cod.Ms.or.var.1,xx 1906-08 Egyptian Museum C3.3 52 - Sachau 22 Pap. No. 3445 = J. 43482 1906-07 (published 1974) Egyptian Museum of Berlin C3.4 P. Berlin 23103 1917 Egyptian Museum C3.5 p. 318 Aimé-Giron Pap. No. 3656 = J. 59209 1966-72 (published 1983) Egyptian Antiquities Service C3.6 Segal 47 Register No. 5881 Ahigar erased text 1906-08 Egyptian Museum of Berlin and Egyptian Museum of Cairo C3.7 (+1.1) Sachau 49-52, 54-59 Berlin P. 13446A-H, K-L + Pap. No. 3465 = J. 43502 1926 Egyptian Museum C3.8 Aimé-Giron 5-20, 24, 39 Pap. No. 3470, 3471, 3472, 3474 J. 50053, 50054, 50055, 50057 1906-07 (published 1988) Egyptian Museum of Berlin C3.9 105 Kraeling 13 P. Berlin 23128–32, 23134 Bresciani papyrus 1940 (published 1971) Egyptian Museum C3.10 Pap. No. 3484 = J. 72527 1966-72 (published 1983) Egyptian Antiquities Service C3.11 Segal 20+19 Register No. 2212 + 2195 Louvre Aramaic papyrus 1826 (published 1863) Louvre C3.12 72 CIS II 146 AF 7991 Memorandum from verso of the Behistun papyrus 1906-08 Egyptian Museum of Berlin C3.13 (+2.1) 61–63, 64,21 + 68,5 Sachau 61-62 Berlin P. 13447 verso 1906-08 Egyptian Museum C3.14 24 55 Sachau 19 Pap. No. 3442 = J. 43479 + 43479A 1906-08 Egyptian Museum of Berlin C3.15 22 89 Sachau 18 P. 13488 + Nos. 64 and 76 of 96 Frags. + P. Berlin 23101 1893 (published 1953) Brooklyn Museum C3.16 - Kraeling 17 Brooklyn Museum 47.218.153 unknown Egyptian Museum C3.17 Aimé-Giron 78+77 Pap. No. 3476 = J. 59202 1966-72 (published 1983) Egyptian Antiquities Service C3.18 Segal 45 Register No. 2201 1827 (published 1869) Vatican Museum C3.19 73 CIS II 147 Inv. No. 22955 1966-72 (published 1983) Egyptian Antiquities Service C3.20 Segal 57 Register No. 2215 1862 (published 1887) Egyptian Museum C3.21 75 CIS II 150 Pap. No. 3653 = J. 59203 1966-72 (published 1983) Egyptian Antiquities Service C3.22 Segal 48 Register No. 1560 C3.23 Segal 87 Register No. 5891 C3.24 Segal 106 Register No. 5666 1880s Egyptian Museum C3.25 78 CIS II 153 Pap. No. 3478 = J. 60144 1924-25 C3.26 Aimé-Giron 87 Pap. No. 3469 = J. 50052 Harrow papyrus 1880s (published 1923) Harrow School Museum C3.27 83 1906 Bodleian Library C3.28 81 MS. Heb. a. 5 (P) unknown Museo dell'Istituto di Studi del Vicino Oriente, Università di Roma C3.29 Pap. Levi Della Vida Lists 1913 Egyptian Museum C4.1 p. 317 Aimé-Giron Pap. No. 3655 = J. 59208 1926 C4.2 Aimé-Giron 46 + 50 + 25 + 47; 26, 30, 33, 61, 75 Pap. No. 3473, 3474 = J. 50056. 50057 1966-72 (published 1983) Egyptian Antiquities Service C4.3 Segal 53 Register No. 1558 1906-08 Egyptian Museum C4.4 12 56 Sachau 17 Pap. No. 3441 = J. 43478 C4.5 19 57 Sachau 21 Pap. No. 3444 = J. 43481 C4.6 23 58 Sachau 20 Pap. No. 3443 = J, 43480 C4.7 51 - Sachau 23 Pap. No. 3446 = J. 43483 C4.8 53 59 Sachau 24 Pap. No. 3447 = J. 43484 Vatican papyrus 1827 (published 1884) Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana C4.9 74 CIS II 148 Papiro Borgiano Aramaico 1 Other Chester ostraca British Museum D7.13 KAI 271, CIS II 138 E14219 Dream ostracon D7.17 KAI 270, CIS II 137 Serapeum Offering Table D20.1 KAI 268 Saqqara Aramaic Stele D20.3 KAI 267 Carpentras Stele D20.5 KAI 269 Ankh-Hapy stele D20.6 KAI 272

Reviews Volume 1 Williamson, H. G. M. (1987). [Review of Textbook of Aramaic Documents from Ancient Egypt 1: Letters, by B. Porten & A. Yardeni]. Vetus Testamentum, 37(4), 493–493. https://doi.org/10.2307/1517566 Lipiński, E. (1988). [Review of Textbook of Aramaic Documents from Ancient Egypt ('wsp t’wdwt ’rmywt mmşrym h’tyqh), newly copied, edited and translated into Hebrew and English by..., 1. Letters. Appendix: Aramaic Letters from the Bible, by B. Porten & A. Yardeni]. Orientalia, 57(4), 434–436. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43077597 Kaufman, S. A. (1988). [Review of Textbook of Aramaic Documents from Ancient Egypt. Vol. 1. Letters, by B. Porten & A. Yardeni]. Journal of Near Eastern Studies, 47(4), 289–290. http://www.jstor.org/stable/544888 Grelot, P. (1988). [Review of Textbook of Aramaic Documents from Ancient Egypt, Newly Copied, Edited and Translated into Hebrew and English, I. Letters. Appendix: Aramaic Letters from the Bible. 34 × 24, by B. Porten & A. Yardeni]. Revue Biblique (1946-), 95(2), 294–299. http://www.jstor.org/stable/44088910

Volume 2 Lipiński, E. (1990). [Review of Textbook of Aramaic Documents from Ancient Egypt ('wsp t’wdwt ’rmywt mmşrym h’tyqh), newly copied, edited and translated into Hebrew and English by..., 2. Contracts. Vol. 1: text, copies in reduced size (LIV-191 p.); vol. 2: copies (37 foldouts), by B. Porten & A. Yardeni]. Orientalia, 59(4), 552–554. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43075793 Grelot, P. (1990). [Review of Textbook of Aramaic Documents from Ancient Egypt, by B. Porten & A. Yardeni]. Revue Biblique (1946-), 97(2), 270–276. http://www.jstor.org/stable/44089014 Segal, J. B. (1992). [Review of Textbook of Aramaic Documents from Ancient Egypt, II, Contracts, by B. Porten & A. Yardeni]. The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, 78, 344–344. https://doi.org/10.2307/3822102

Volume 3 Fitzmyer, Joseph A. (1995). [Review of Textbook of Aramaic Documents from Ancient Egypt, 3: Literature, Accounts, Lists, by B. Porten & A. Yardeni]. Journal of the American Oriental Society, 115(4), 710–711. https://doi.org/10.2307/604758