University of Michigan Papyrus Collection

The University of Michigan Papyrus Collection (UMPC) is one of the largest and most important collections of ancient papyri in the world. It contains over 100,000 papyri, dating from the 3rd century BC to the 8th century AD. The papyri come from a variety of sites in Egypt, Greece, and the Middle East.

The UMPC was founded in 1927 by Herbert C. Youtie, a professor of Greek and Latin at the University of Michigan. Youtie was passionate about papyrology and believed that papyri could provide valuable insights into the ancient world. He spent many years traveling to Egypt and other countries to collect papyri for the UMPC.

The UMPC contains papyri in a variety of languages, including Greek, Latin, Coptic, Arabic, and Hebrew. The papyri include a wide range of texts, including literary works, religious texts, legal documents, and business records. The UMPC is also home to a number of unique papyri, such as the oldest known copy of the Gospel of Matthew and the only known extant copy of the play The Bacchae by Euripides.

The UMPC is a valuable resource for scholars of the ancient world. It provides scholars with access to a wide range of papyri that can be used to study a variety of topics, including ancient history, literature, religion, and law. The UMPC also offers a variety of programs and resources for students and the general public, such as lectures, workshops, and exhibits.

Here are some examples of the types of papyri found in the UMPC:

Literary works: The UMPC contains papyri with fragments of works by many famous Greek and Latin authors, such as Homer, Plato, Aristotle, Virgil, and Horace.
Religious texts: The UMPC contains papyri with fragments of the Bible, the Quran, and other religious texts.
Legal documents: The UMPC contains papyri with legal documents, such as contracts, wills, and court records.
Business records: The UMPC contains papyri with business records, such as receipts, invoices, and shipping manifests.

The UMPC is a valuable resource for scholars of the ancient world. It provides scholars with access to a wide range of papyri that can be used to study a variety of topics. The UMPC also offers a variety of programs and resources for students and the general public.