New Greek Papyri from a Cave in the Vicinity of Ein Gedi

Abstract

In this article two new Greek documentary papyri and some fragments are edited. They were found in a cave located half way up a cliff in a mountain facing the modern settlement of Ein Geddi. Along side with the papyri the archeologists excavated other findings such as arrowheads, textiles, different kinds of vessels, parts of rope baskets, and eleven Bar-Kokhba coins.

Names such as Eleazaros, Ioudas and Isidoros establish the fact that both Jews and Gentiles were involved in the activities recorded in these papyri. It seems that these documents belonged to inhabitants of the ancient village of Ein Geddi. They took refuge in the cave in the aftermath of the Bar-Kokhba war, and were probably captivated or killed by Roman soldiers. The papyri might have been written at the end of the first or the beginning of the second century CE. They probably deal with a property transaction, or a loan to be returned (no. 1), and an acquisition of some sort (no. 2).

These documents show that Jews used the Greek language not only for conducting business with Gentiles, or for legal proceedings in accordance with the demands of the Roman authorities, but also for daily correspondence among themselves. In doing so they may be considered an integral part of the multilingual society whose members dwelled in the Roman Near East.