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Last Updated on 17 Jan 2019

Author: Cassandre Hartenstein

CAPInv. 1932: The association of the priests of Soknebtynis

I. LOCATION

i. Geographical area Egypt
ii. Nome Arsinoites (00)
iii. Site Tebtynis

II. NAME

i. Full name (original language) Tȝ ẖny.t (n) nȝ wʿb.w Sbk-nb-Tp-tn (P.Mil. Vogl. dem. inv. 77, l.3)
ii. Full name (transliterated) The association of the priests of Soknebtynis

III. DATE

i. Date(s) 178 - 145 BC

IV. NAME AND TERMINOLOGY

i. Name in other forms nȝy⸗w tȝ ẖny.t pȝ mr šn pȝ msḥ nty ḥms m-bȝḥ Sbk (P. Cairo dem. 30606, l. 4; P. Hamburg 1, l. 3; P. Cairo dem. 31179, l. 4) "Those from the association and the chief of (the company of) the crocodile who gather in front of Sobek".
ii. Name elements
Professional:nȝ wʿb.w, priests
Status-related:nȝ wʿb.w, priests
Theophoric:Soknebtynis, Sobek
iii. Descriptive terms ẖny.t
Note ẖny.t: P.Mil. Vogl. dem. inv. 77, l.3, P. Hamburg 1, l. 3, P. Cairo dem. 31179, l. 4. In the edition of all the texts, the word "association" is transliterated swn.t, but this reading was rejected by De Cenival 2006.

V. SOURCES

i. Source(s) P.Mil. Vogl. dem. inv. 77 and 78 = Bresciani 1994 (178 BC)
P.Cairo dem. 30606 = P.Assoc. pp. 45-58 (year 24 under king Ptolemy VI = 157 BC).
P.Hamburg dem. 1 = P.Assoc. pp. 59-61 is published in (30 October 151 BC).
P.Cairo dem. 31179 = P.Assoc. pp. 63-72 (7 Choiak of year 34 of Ptolemy VI= 3 January 147 BC)
P.Cairo dem. 30605 = P.Assoc. pp. 73-81 (28 Mesore year 25 under Ptolemy VIII= 20 September 145 BC).
Note Other publications:
P.Cairo dem. 30606 = P.Assoc. pp. 45-58: AGRW 299.
P.Hamburg dem. 1 = P.Assoc. pp. 59-61: Erichsen 1962.
P.Cairo dem. 30605 = P.Assoc. pp. 73-81: SB I 4458.
Online Resources P.Mil. Vogl. dem. inv. 77: TM 47204
P.Mil. Vogl. dem. inv. 78: TM 47205
P.Cairo dem. 30606: TM 2775 and AGRW ID 2984
P.Hamburg 1: TM 3057
P.Cairo dem. 31179: TM 3056
P.Cairo dem. 30605: TM 2774
i.a. Source type(s) Papyrological source(s)
i.b. Document(s) typology & language/script The five demotic papyri contain the rules of an association of priests of the god Soknebtynis.
i.c. Physical format(s) Papyrus.
ii. Source(s) provenance All the papyri were found in Tebtynis.

VI. BUILT AND VISUAL SPACE

ii. References to buildings/objects The association will meet in the cemetery of Sobek, in the village of Tebtynis (P.Cairo dem. 31179, l. 5; P.Cairo dem. 30605, l. 4; P.Cairo dem. 30606, l. 5: pȝ ʿ.wy ḥtp pȝ msḥ dmy Sbk Tȝ-nb.t-tȝ-tn).

VII. ORGANIZATION

ii. Leadership A "general" (mr-mšʿ, P.Mil. Vogl. dem. inv. 77, l. 3; P.Cairo dem. 30606, l. 4, P.Cairo dem. 31179, l. 24; P.Cairo dem. 30605, l. 21) was at the head of the association.
iv. Officials Severals members have titles:
-ʿšy n Sbk-bn-Tp-tn (reciter of Sobknebtynis, P.Mil. Vogl. dem. inv. 77, text B, l. 5)
-mḥ-2 (second, P.Mil. Vogl. dem. inv. 77, text B, l. 3,P.Cairo dem. 30606, l. 19; P.Cairo dem. 30605, l. 21)
-ḥm-nṯr nȝ nṯr.w (priest of the gods, P.Mil. Vogl. dem. inv. 77, text B, l. 4)
-rṯ (representative, P.Mil. Vogl. dem. inv. 77; P.Cairo dem. 30606, l. 7, 8; P.Hamburg dem. 1, l. 7; P.Cairo dem. 31179, l. 8)
-ʿšy (priest reciter, P.Cairo dem. 30605, l. 21)
vi. Laws and rules pȝ hp 'the law': P.Cairo dem. 30606 l. 4; P.Hamburg dem. 1 l. 3; P.Cairo dem. 31179 l. 4; P.Cairo dem. 30605 l. 3; P.Mil. Vogl. dem. inv. 77 Text A l. 3.
vii. Judicial system The association has its own court of justice. The members have to appeal to it, before looking for judgment from official courts (P. Cairo dem. 30606, l. 18-19; P.Cairo dem. 31179, l. 20-21). Once the judgment in the association is given, the members can not contest it (P.Cairo dem. 30605, l. 20).
viii. Obligations The members will pay a monthly fee (P.Mil. Vogl. dem. inv. 77, l. 5; P.Cairo dem. 30605, l. 6-7; P.Cairo dem. 30606, l. 6-7; P.Hamburg dem. 1, l. 6; P.Cairo dem. 31179, l. 6-7: mtw⸗n dy.t pȝy⸗n ḥḏ ʿl ẖr ỉbd nb "We will give our money every month") and a ration (of bread?, P.Mil. Vogl. dem. inv. 77, l.6; P.Cairo dem. 30605, l. 8; P.Cairo dem. 31179, l. 9 : mtw⸗n ỉr wʿ ʿḳ n fy r wʿ rmṯ n-ỉm⸗n "We will create a ration to bring for each one of us"). They should bring some products for the activities of the association (ointment, salt, ricin, P.Mil. Vogl. dem. inv. 77, l. 7-8; P.Cairo dem. 30606, l. 9; P.Cairo dem. 30605, l. 9).
The members should participate to every funeral of a member (P.Cairo dem. 31179, l. 14-15; P.Cairo dem. 30605, l. 12-13). If a member dies outside the village, the others have to bring him back and the one who refuses to do so will pay a fine (P.Cairo dem. 30605, l. 13-15; P.Cairo dem. 31179, l. 16: n pȝ rmṯ n-ỉm=n nty ỉ.ỉr nȝy=w pȝ ʿ.wy mty r=f r šm m-sȝ=f mtw=f tm šm pȝy=f ḳns ḥḏ 20 m-sȝ rmṯ nȝ mdw.t nty ḥry ḫpr n-ỉm=f "The one of us who has been chosen to search for him (the dead member) and who will not go, his fine fine be of 20 deben, except if he is in one the situations described above").
The members have to attend funerals of the family members of others members (P.Cairo dem. 31179, l; 18-19; P.Cairo dem. 30605, l. 15-16: pȝ rmt n-ỉm=n nty ỉ.ỉr pȝy=f ỉt t3y=f mw.t pȝy=f sn tȝy=f sn.t pȝy=f šry tȝy=f šr.t pȝy=f šm tȝy=f šm.t tȝy=f ḥm.t gȝ r mw.t ỉw=n ȝrb=n r.r=f "The one of us whose father, mother, brother, sister, father-in-law, mother-in-law or wife will die, we will go into morning for him").

VIII. PROPERTY AND POSSESSIONS

iii. Income All the members have to give a monthly contribution in money (see VII.viii Obligations) and a ration. They have to bring some products too: salt, resin, crowns, wood, ointment (P.Cairo dem. 31179, l. 9-10).

IX. MEMBERSHIP

i. Number According to the lists of members at the end of each rule, the number of members varies between 10 and 15.
ii. Gender Men
Note All the members cited are male.
vi. Proper names and physical features P.Mil. Vogl. dem. inv. 77:
-[...] sȝ Sbk-Ḥʿpy (... son of Sokonopis)
-[...] Pa-n-Is.t (sȝ) Ḥr (Panesis son of Horos)
-Pȝ-tj-Ḥr (sȝ) Pȝ-[....] (Petehyris son of...)
-Pȝ-mȝj sȝ Pȝ-mȝj (Pamais son of Pamais)
-Sbk-Ḥʿpy sȝ Pa-hm (Sokonopis son of Pa-hm)
-Pȝ-tj-Wsir sȝ Pa-...
-Sbk-Ḥʿpj sȝ ...
-Pȝ-ḥtr ?
-Pȝ-Ḥʿpj
-[...] Sbk-Ḥʿpj
-[...] sȝ Sbk-Ḥʿpj

P.Cairo dem. 30606:
-Pa-Ḥʿpy sȝ n Pa-ḫ (Pahopis son of Pachois)
-Wn-nfr sȝ n Tš (Onnophris son of Tese)
-Mȝʿ.t-Rʿ-pȝ-syf sȝ n Sbk-m-ḥb (Marrepsephis son of Sokonopis)
-Ḥr sȝ n Pȝ-dỉ=w (Horos son of Petheus)
-Pa-tȝ (Patos)
-Pa-n-Is.t sȝ n Pȝ-dỉ-Ḥr-pȝ-šr-n-Ỉs.t (Paesis son of Petearpsenesis)
-... sȝ n Pȝ-dỉ-Wsỉr
-Pȝ-dỉ-Sbk sȝ n Sbk-m-ḥb (Petesouchos son of Sokonopis)
-... sȝ n Pa-Ḥʿpy
-Pȝ-mnḫ sȝ n Sbk-m-ḥb (Pmenches son of Sokonopis)
-Ḥr-wḏȝ sȝ n pa-ḫy (Haryothes son of Pachois)
-... sȝ n pa-ḫy
-Pa-Ḥʿpy sȝ n ...

P. Hamburg dem. 1:
-Mȝʿ-Rʿ sȝ n Sȝ-Sbk (Marres son of Sisouchos)
-Wn-nfr sȝ n Pa-Ḥʿpy (Onnophris son of Paophis)
-Sbk-Ḥʿpy sȝ n pa-ḫ (Sokonopis son of Pachois)
-Ḥr-...
-Pȝ-di-... sȝ n nḫṱ-Sbk (Pete... son of Nechtsouchos)
-Pa-Ḥʿpy sȝ n pa-ḫ (Pahopis son of Pachois)
-Mȝʿ-Rʿ sȝ n pa-ḫ (Marres son of Pachois)
-Pȝ-dỉ-Wsỉr sȝ n Pa-swr (Petosiris son of Pasour)
-Pȝ-dỉ-Wsỉr sȝ n Sbk-m-ḥb (Petosiris son of Sokonopis)

P.Cairo dem. 31179
-Ḥr-mȝ-ḥs (sȝ n) Sbk-m-ḥb (Harmyusis son of Sokonopis)
-Wn-nfr (sȝ n) Sbk-m-ḥb (Onnophris son of Sokonopis)
-Sȝ-Sbk (sȝ n) Tš-nfr (Sisoukos son of Tesenouphis)
-Sbk-m-ḥb (sȝ n) Pȝ-dỉ-Wsỉr (Sokonopis son of Petosiris)
-Pȝ-dỉ-Ḥr-pȝ-šr-n-Ỉs.(t) (sȝ n) Tš-nfr (Petearpsenesis son of Tesenouphis)
-Pȝ-dỉ-Ḥr-pȝ-šr-n-Ỉs(.t) (sȝ n) Sbk-m-ḥb(Petearpsenesis son of Sokonopis)
-Pȝ-dỉ-Sbk (sȝ n) Sbk-m-ḥb (Petesouchos son of Sokonopis)
-Wn-nfr (sȝ n) Sbk-m-ḥb (sȝ n) Pn-ḫy (?) (Onnophris son of Sokonopis son of Pachois)
-Ḥr-mȝ-ḥs...(?) (sȝ n) Sbk-m-ḥb (Harmiysis son of Sokonopis)
-Ḥr-m-ḥs sȝ n Lwlȝ sȝ n Sbk-m-ḥb (Harmiysis son of Lolous son of Sokonopis)
-Hr-sȝ-Ỉs.t (sȝ n) Pn-tȝ (?) (Harsiesis son of Patos)
-Pn-pȝ-nb-Tn (sȝ n) Pa-swr (Papnebtynis son of Pasous)
-Sbk-m-ḥb (sȝ n) Sbk-m-ḥb (Sokonopis son of Sokonopis)
-Pȝ-dỉ-Sbk (sȝ n) Pȝ-dỉ-Wsỉr pȝ ...(?) (Petesouchos son of Petosiris)

P.Cairo dem. 30605:
-Ḫnm-ḫwy pȝ ʿȝ (sȝ n) Mȝ-Rʿ (Chenem-choui son of Marres)
-Ḫnm-wr (sȝ n) Pa-tȝ (Chenem-wr son of Patos)
-Wn-nfr (sȝ n) Pȝ-dỉ-Wsỉr (Onnophris son of Petosiris)
-Pa-n-Ỉs(.t) pȝ ʿȝ (sȝ n) Pȝ-dỉ-Ḥr-pȝ-šr-Ỉs(.t) (Phanesis the big son of Petearpsenesis)
-Mȝʿ-Rȝ (sȝ n) Mȝʿ-Rʿ (Marres son of Marres)
-Sbk-m-ḥb ( ?) (sȝ n) Pa-Ḥʿpy (Sokonopis son of Pahopis)
-Pa-n-Ỉs(.t) pȝ ḫm sȝ n Pȝ-dỉ-Ḥr-pȝ-šr-n-Ỉs.t (Phanesis son of Petearpsenesis)
-Pa-Ḥʿpy (sȝ n) Pa-Ḥʿpy (Phaopis son of Pahopis)
-
Wn-nfr (sȝ n) Pn-Ḥʿpy (Onnophris son of Pahopis)
-
Sbk-m-ḥb (?) (sȝ n) Pȝ-dỉ=w (Sokonopis son of Petheus)
-
Pȝ-dỉ-Ḥr-pȝ-šr-n-Ỉs.t (sȝ n) Pa-Ḥʿpy (Petearpsenesis son of Pahopis)
-
Ḥr (sȝ) Pȝ-dỉ-Ḥr-pȝ-šr-n-Ỉs.t (Horos son of Petearpsenesis)
-
Ḫnm-wr (sȝ) Ḫnm-wr (Chenme-wr son of Chenem-wr)
-
Ḥr-pȝʿȝ (sȝ) Pȝ-dỉ=w (Har-aou son of Petheus)
-
Pa-n-Ỉs.t (sȝ) Wn-nfr (Phanesis son of Onnophris)
-
Pȝ-dỉ-Wsỉr (sȝ) Pȝ-dỉ-Wsỉr (Petosiris son of Petosiris)
-
Pȝ-mnḫ (sȝ) ʿnḫ-Ḥr (Pamenches son of Chahyris)
-
Pȝy-mȝy (?) (sȝ) Pȝ-dỉ-Wsỉr (Pamois son of Petosiris)
-
Pa-pȝ-nb-tȝ-Tn (sȝ) Pa-swr (Papnebtynis son of Pa-sour)
-
Pȝ-dỉ-Wsỉr (sȝ) Sbk-m-ḥb (Petosiris son of Sokonopis)
-
Pȝ-dỉ-... (sȝ) Sbk-m-ḥb (... son of Sokonopis)
-
Pa-ḫy (sȝ) Ḥr-sȝ-Ỉs.t (Pachois son of Harsiesis)
-
Sbk-... (?) (sȝ) Pȝ-mnḫ (... son of Pamenches)
-
Sbk-m-ḥb (sȝ) Sbk-... (Sokonopis son of ...)
-
Wn-nfr (sȝ) Tš (Onnophris son of Teses)
-Σοκονοπις Σοκ

X. ACTIVITIES

ii. Meetings and events The association will gather in the necropolis of the crocodile, during feasts, processions (P.Mil. Vogl. dem. inv. 77, l.1, P.Cairo dem. 30606, l. 4-5, P.Hamburg dem. 1, l. 5; P.Cairo dem. 30605, l. 5-6; P.Cairo dem. 31179, l. 6: ỉw⸗n ḥms m-bȝḥ Sbk nȝ nṯr.w Sbk n nȝ ḥb.w nȝ ḫʿ.w n Sbk nȝ nṯr.w Sbk ḥnʿ nȝ hr.w nȝy ỉ.ỉr nȝy⸗w pȝ ʿ.wy r-r⸗w ḥms.ty n-ỉm⸗n "We will gather in the presence of Sobek and the gods of Sobek, during the feasts and the processions of Sobek and of the gods of Sobek, and the days those from the association will choose"). The members will perform libations and burnt offerings for the dynastic cult of the Ptolemies (P.Mil. Vogl. dem. inv. 77, l. 8-9, P.Cairo dem. 30606, l. 10-11; P.Cairo 31179, l. 11-12; P.Cairo dem. 30605, l. 10-11: mtw=n ỉr nȝ kll.w nȝ wtn.w nȝ pr-ʿȝ.w Ptlwlmys ỉrm Klwptrȝ ỉ.ỉr Ptwlmys ỉrm Klwptrȝ nȝ nṯr.w. nty pr ʿnḫ ḏ.t "We will perform burnt offerings and offerings to the kings Ptolemy and Cleopatra the Epiphanes gods who will live for the eternity).
iii. Worship The members will perform libations and burnt offerings for the dynastic cult of the Ptolemies and the other gods (P.Mil. Vogl. dem. inv. 77, l. 8-9, P.Cairo dem. 30606, l. 10-11; P.Cairo 31179, l. 11-12; P.Cairo dem. 30605, l. 10-11: mtw=n ỉr nȝ kll.w nȝ wtn.w nȝ pr-ʿȝ.w Ptlwlmys ỉrm Klwptrȝ ỉ.ỉr Ptwlmys ỉrm Klwptrȝ nȝ nṯr.w. nty pr ʿnḫ ḏ.t "We will perform burnt offerings and offerings to the kings Ptolemy and Cleopatra the Epiphanes gods who will live for the eternity).
Deities worshipped crododile god Sobek and all the gods
King
Royal House
Ruler Cult
Ptolemies
The ptolemaic dynastic cult

XI. INTERACTION

i. Local interaction As the members of the association are priests, they have certainly contacts with the temple of Soknebtynis.

XII. NOTES

iii. Bibliography Bresciani, E. (1994), 'Nuovi statuti demotici di ‘Confraternite’ dalla necropoli dei Coccodrilli a Tebtynis', EVO 17: 49-67.
De Cenival, Fr. (2006), 'À propos du mot désignant en démotique « l’association » ', RdE 57 : 233-234.
Erichsen, E. (1962) 'Der demotische Papyrus Hamburg 1', Acta Orientalia 26: 102-106
Monson, A. (2007), 'Religious Associations and Temples in Ptolemaic Tebtunis', in J. Fräen, T. Purola and E. Salmenkivi (eds.), Proceedings of the 24th International Congress of Papyrology, 1-7 August 2004, Helsinki: II 769-778.
Monson, A. (2006), 'The Ethics and Economics of Ptolemaic Religious Associations', AncSoc 36: 231-238.

XIII. EVALUATION

i. Private association Certain
Note The terminology employed and the typology of text make it certain that this was a private association.