Zeitschrift für Ägyptische Sprache und Altertumskunde, 2023
The article studies the trope of the crocodile bird in its evolution from antiquity to the presen... more The article studies the trope of the crocodile bird in its evolution from antiquity to the present day. The story tells of the mutualistic behaviour between the Nile crocodile and an Egyptian bird, typically known as the trochilus. The trope has a complex history: primarily known from classical writers, it spread in fact to Jewish and Islamic traditions, too. The story is universally thought to be an invention of Herodotus. But a demotic papyrus, here published for the first time, proves that the trope of the crocodile bird has its true origin in ancient Egyptian culture.
S. Schiødt / A. Jacob / K. Ryholt (eds.), Scientific Traditions in the Ancient Mediterranean and Near East: Joint Proceedings of the 1st and 2nd Scientific Papyri from Ancient Egypt International Conferences, New York: ISAW / NYU Press, 2023: 393–416
List of Figures iv List of Tables iv List of Abbreviations vi Notes on Editorial Procedure viii v... more List of Figures iv List of Tables iv List of Abbreviations vi Notes on Editorial Procedure viii vi List of Abbreviations *Journal abbreviations and any abbreviations not listed below follow Mathieu, B. 2019. Abréviations des périodiques et collections en usage à l'Institut français d'archéologie orientale. 7th edition. Cairo: Institut français d'archéologie orientale.
A. Almásy-Martin / M. Chauveau / K. Donker van Heel / K. Ryholt (eds.), Ripple in Still Water When There Is No Pebble Tossed: Festschrift in Honour of Cary J. Martin (GHP Egyptology 34), London: Golden House Publications, 2022: 133–202, 2022
I am delighted to have the opportunity to join friends and colleagues in this celebration of Cary... more I am delighted to have the opportunity to join friends and colleagues in this celebration of Cary. Over more than a decade of study and work in England, I have had the opportunity not only to profit from Cary's immense knowledge of everything Demotic, but also to enjoy his textbook British humour. From Oxbridge symposia spent in engrossing conversations and pouring over images of papyri, to drinks enjoyed in ungodly weather during a leisurely boat trip across a flooded open-pit coal mine in the former DDR, 1 Cary is the person one is always grateful to be sitting next to: that mythical phoenix, a top-notch scholar blessed with fine social skills! I hope he will enjoy the topic of this paper, and that he will not mind the fact that only part of the ancient texts that I discuss in it happen to be in Demotic. With luck, Cary will welcome the opportunity to be transported by it back to his beloved Ptolemaic Memphis, a city to the study of whose ancient inhabitants he has contributed with much of his work. 8 Reymond, From the Records, 95, wrongly gives the Harris collection as a source. For the correct provenance, see, e.g.,
B. Bryan, M. Smith, C. DiCerbo, M. Escolano-Poveda, and J.S. Waller (eds.), One Who Loves Knowledge: Studies in Honor of Richard Jasnow (MVCAE 6), Atlanta GA 2022: 305–322
J. Spier / S.E. Cole (eds.), Egypt and the Classical World: Cross-cultural Encounters in Antiquity, J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles 2022: 106–177
The text of this work, unless otherwise indicated, and figs.1.4a-b are licensed under a Creative ... more The text of this work, unless otherwise indicated, and figs.1.4a-b are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. All other images are reproduced with the permission of the rights holders acknowledged in captions and expressly excluded from the CC BY-NC license covering the rest of this publication. These images may not be reproduced, copied, transmitted, or manipulated without consent from the owners, who reserve all rights. First edition, 2022 github.com/thegetty/egypt-classical-world/ Published by the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles while also looking at the identity of those who composed and inscribed such "silent" hieroglyphic inscriptions. His study includes a definitive critical reedition of the inscriptions on both obelisks in Benevento, updating all previous scholarship.
M. Brose/P. Dils/F. Naether/L. Popko/D. Raue (eds.), En détail: Philologie und Archäologie im Diskurs: Festschrift für Hans-Werner Fischer-Elfert (Zeitschrift für Ägyptische Sprache und Altertumskunde Beihefte 7), Berlin, 2019
F. Naether (ed.), New Approaches in Demotic Studies: Acts of the 13th International Conference of Demotic Studies (Zeitschrift für Ägyptische Sprache und Altertumskunde Beihefte 10), Berlin/Boston, 2019
F.A.J. Hoogendijk/S.M.T. van Gompel (eds.), The Materiality of Texts from Ancient Egypt: New Approaches to the Study of Textual Material from the Early Pharaonic to the Late Antique Period (Papyrologica Lugduno-Batava 35), Brill: Leiden/Boston: 76–93, 2018
M.-P. Chaufray/I. Guermeur/S. Lippert/V. Rondot (eds.), Le Fayoum: Archéologie – Histoire – Religion: Actes du sixième colloque international: Montpellier, 26–28 octobre 2016, Wiesbaden: 101–128, 2018
Ce colloque a bénéfi cié du soutien des LabEx ARCHIMEDE et LaScArBx au titre des programmes « Inv... more Ce colloque a bénéfi cié du soutien des LabEx ARCHIMEDE et LaScArBx au titre des programmes « Investissements d'Avenir » ANR-11-LABX-0032-01 et ANR-10-LABX-52.
K. Donker van Heel/F.A.J. Hoogendijk/C.J. Martin (eds.), Hieratic, Demotic and Greek Studies and Text Editions: Of Making Many Books There Is no End: Festschrift in Honour of Sven P. Vleeming (Papyrological Lugduno-Batava 34), Brill: Leiden/Boston: 46–59, 2018
T. Potts/J. Spier/S.E. Cole (eds.), Beyond the Nile: Egypt and the Classical World (Exhibition Catalogue), J. Paul Getty Museum: Los Angeles: 148–154, 2018
Zeitschrift für Ägyptische Sprache und Altertumskunde, 2023
The article studies the trope of the crocodile bird in its evolution from antiquity to the presen... more The article studies the trope of the crocodile bird in its evolution from antiquity to the present day. The story tells of the mutualistic behaviour between the Nile crocodile and an Egyptian bird, typically known as the trochilus. The trope has a complex history: primarily known from classical writers, it spread in fact to Jewish and Islamic traditions, too. The story is universally thought to be an invention of Herodotus. But a demotic papyrus, here published for the first time, proves that the trope of the crocodile bird has its true origin in ancient Egyptian culture.
S. Schiødt / A. Jacob / K. Ryholt (eds.), Scientific Traditions in the Ancient Mediterranean and Near East: Joint Proceedings of the 1st and 2nd Scientific Papyri from Ancient Egypt International Conferences, New York: ISAW / NYU Press, 2023: 393–416
List of Figures iv List of Tables iv List of Abbreviations vi Notes on Editorial Procedure viii v... more List of Figures iv List of Tables iv List of Abbreviations vi Notes on Editorial Procedure viii vi List of Abbreviations *Journal abbreviations and any abbreviations not listed below follow Mathieu, B. 2019. Abréviations des périodiques et collections en usage à l'Institut français d'archéologie orientale. 7th edition. Cairo: Institut français d'archéologie orientale.
A. Almásy-Martin / M. Chauveau / K. Donker van Heel / K. Ryholt (eds.), Ripple in Still Water When There Is No Pebble Tossed: Festschrift in Honour of Cary J. Martin (GHP Egyptology 34), London: Golden House Publications, 2022: 133–202, 2022
I am delighted to have the opportunity to join friends and colleagues in this celebration of Cary... more I am delighted to have the opportunity to join friends and colleagues in this celebration of Cary. Over more than a decade of study and work in England, I have had the opportunity not only to profit from Cary's immense knowledge of everything Demotic, but also to enjoy his textbook British humour. From Oxbridge symposia spent in engrossing conversations and pouring over images of papyri, to drinks enjoyed in ungodly weather during a leisurely boat trip across a flooded open-pit coal mine in the former DDR, 1 Cary is the person one is always grateful to be sitting next to: that mythical phoenix, a top-notch scholar blessed with fine social skills! I hope he will enjoy the topic of this paper, and that he will not mind the fact that only part of the ancient texts that I discuss in it happen to be in Demotic. With luck, Cary will welcome the opportunity to be transported by it back to his beloved Ptolemaic Memphis, a city to the study of whose ancient inhabitants he has contributed with much of his work. 8 Reymond, From the Records, 95, wrongly gives the Harris collection as a source. For the correct provenance, see, e.g.,
B. Bryan, M. Smith, C. DiCerbo, M. Escolano-Poveda, and J.S. Waller (eds.), One Who Loves Knowledge: Studies in Honor of Richard Jasnow (MVCAE 6), Atlanta GA 2022: 305–322
J. Spier / S.E. Cole (eds.), Egypt and the Classical World: Cross-cultural Encounters in Antiquity, J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles 2022: 106–177
The text of this work, unless otherwise indicated, and figs.1.4a-b are licensed under a Creative ... more The text of this work, unless otherwise indicated, and figs.1.4a-b are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. All other images are reproduced with the permission of the rights holders acknowledged in captions and expressly excluded from the CC BY-NC license covering the rest of this publication. These images may not be reproduced, copied, transmitted, or manipulated without consent from the owners, who reserve all rights. First edition, 2022 github.com/thegetty/egypt-classical-world/ Published by the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles while also looking at the identity of those who composed and inscribed such "silent" hieroglyphic inscriptions. His study includes a definitive critical reedition of the inscriptions on both obelisks in Benevento, updating all previous scholarship.
M. Brose/P. Dils/F. Naether/L. Popko/D. Raue (eds.), En détail: Philologie und Archäologie im Diskurs: Festschrift für Hans-Werner Fischer-Elfert (Zeitschrift für Ägyptische Sprache und Altertumskunde Beihefte 7), Berlin, 2019
F. Naether (ed.), New Approaches in Demotic Studies: Acts of the 13th International Conference of Demotic Studies (Zeitschrift für Ägyptische Sprache und Altertumskunde Beihefte 10), Berlin/Boston, 2019
F.A.J. Hoogendijk/S.M.T. van Gompel (eds.), The Materiality of Texts from Ancient Egypt: New Approaches to the Study of Textual Material from the Early Pharaonic to the Late Antique Period (Papyrologica Lugduno-Batava 35), Brill: Leiden/Boston: 76–93, 2018
M.-P. Chaufray/I. Guermeur/S. Lippert/V. Rondot (eds.), Le Fayoum: Archéologie – Histoire – Religion: Actes du sixième colloque international: Montpellier, 26–28 octobre 2016, Wiesbaden: 101–128, 2018
Ce colloque a bénéfi cié du soutien des LabEx ARCHIMEDE et LaScArBx au titre des programmes « Inv... more Ce colloque a bénéfi cié du soutien des LabEx ARCHIMEDE et LaScArBx au titre des programmes « Investissements d'Avenir » ANR-11-LABX-0032-01 et ANR-10-LABX-52.
K. Donker van Heel/F.A.J. Hoogendijk/C.J. Martin (eds.), Hieratic, Demotic and Greek Studies and Text Editions: Of Making Many Books There Is no End: Festschrift in Honour of Sven P. Vleeming (Papyrological Lugduno-Batava 34), Brill: Leiden/Boston: 46–59, 2018
T. Potts/J. Spier/S.E. Cole (eds.), Beyond the Nile: Egypt and the Classical World (Exhibition Catalogue), J. Paul Getty Museum: Los Angeles: 148–154, 2018
Romano-Egyptian inscribed obelisks constitute one of the most significant types of monuments rela... more Romano-Egyptian inscribed obelisks constitute one of the most significant types of monuments related to Romano-Egyptian cultural interactions. Unlike the earlier Egyptian obelisks (from the New Kingdom to the Late Period) moved by the Romans to Italy, these monoliths were expressly commissioned in honour of the Roman emperor and contained inscriptions that constitute some of the last original creations of Egyptian textual production. Such monuments include Domitian's Pamphili obelisk and Hadrian's Barberini obelisk in Rome, and a number of private dedications from Palestrina / Rome and Benevento. This paper will present a current project dedicated to the comprehensive and integrated study of these obelisks, with special focus on their epigraphy, language (between Egyptian of tradition and later forms of Egyptian), and possible centres of production. Building upon a new, photogrammetry-based epigraphic study of the Benevento obelisks published by the author in 2022, the current state of the study of the Pamphili and Barberini obelisks will be closely discussed, also in connection with a new assessment of the Sallustiano obelisk (a Roman copy of a XIX Dynasty obelisk), as well as recent papyrological discoveries.
(NB: this study is to appear in Zeitschrift für Ägyptische Sprache und Altertumskunde 150/1 - ear... more (NB: this study is to appear in Zeitschrift für Ägyptische Sprache und Altertumskunde 150/1 - early 2023)
Abstract. Nel secondo libro delle sue Storie, dedicato all’Egitto, Erodoto racconta non solo della storia antica del paese, ma anche della sua natura. Tra i passi più famosi è quello che descrive la peculiare simbiosi fra il coccodrillo del Nilo e un piccolo uccello, chiamato trochilo. A detta dello storico greco, questo volatile, anche noto come il "guardiano dei coccodrilli", si ciba dei parassiti che infestano la bocca del coccodrillo, il quale, beneficiandone, gli permette di entrare e uscire illeso dalle sue fauci.
L’aneddoto del trochilo è sempre stato ritenuto un’invenzione di Erodoto, senza autentica base nella cultura egizia. Al contrario, questa conferenza dimostrerà per la prima volta come la storia abbia le sue origini in genuine tradizioni egizie, come rivelato da recenti scoperte papirologiche. L’intera tradizione del trochilo, che godette di immensa fortuna dall’antichità classica al presente, fra racconti scritti e arti visive, sia nelle tradizioni occidentali che nelle culture islamica ed ebraica, deve alfine le sue origini all’attenzione che gli antichi Egizi sempre ebbero per la natura che li circondava.
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Papers by Luigi Prada
Abstract. Nel secondo libro delle sue Storie, dedicato all’Egitto, Erodoto racconta non solo della storia antica del paese, ma anche della sua natura. Tra i passi più famosi è quello che descrive la peculiare simbiosi fra il coccodrillo del Nilo e un piccolo uccello, chiamato trochilo. A detta dello storico greco, questo volatile, anche noto come il "guardiano dei coccodrilli", si ciba dei parassiti che infestano la bocca del coccodrillo, il quale, beneficiandone, gli permette di entrare e uscire illeso dalle sue fauci.
L’aneddoto del trochilo è sempre stato ritenuto un’invenzione di Erodoto, senza autentica base nella cultura egizia. Al contrario, questa conferenza dimostrerà per la prima volta come la storia abbia le sue origini in genuine tradizioni egizie, come rivelato da recenti scoperte papirologiche. L’intera tradizione del trochilo, che godette di immensa fortuna dall’antichità classica al presente, fra racconti scritti e arti visive, sia nelle tradizioni occidentali che nelle culture islamica ed ebraica, deve alfine le sue origini all’attenzione che gli antichi Egizi sempre ebbero per la natura che li circondava.