ï~~Bulletin of the American Society of Papyrologists 47 (2010) 67-73
An Oxyrhynchite Marriage Contract
as School Exercise?
Tom Garvey Kenyon College
Abstract
P.Mich. inv. 6665 shares many features with Oxyrhynchite marriage
contracts. Several peculiarities, however, militate against interpreting
it as a "real" marriage contract, and rather make it seem an exercise
of sorts. These are: the strictly graded series of amounts included
in the document (2, 20, 200); the omission of other specifics where
expected; the quasi-literary style of writing; and the correction in
a different hand in 1. 10. Noteworthy is the left-leaning slant of the
main text.
Physical Description and Hand
The papyrus measures 13 x 17 cm. Clear, sizeable margins at the top (2.5
cm) and bottom (1.5-2 cm) indicate that the original text had no more than
the present thirteen lines. The extant text contains 35-55 characters in each
line, written across the fibers. There is a kollesis at 11.5 cm from the farthest
point of the left side. The verso is blank. Two major tears, one vertical (1/3 the
way through the text) and the other horizontal (more or less through line 8)
combine with a line of vertical wear (2/3 the way through the text) to impair
legibility. This vertical damage is consistent with folding. A small scrap of
papyrus (not quite two lines tall and seven characters long at its widest) has
been affixed to the main papyrus in the wrong place, and should begin lines
2-3 rather than 3-4.
The hand is of medium size, rather elementary but not unschon, and clear
throughout. It seems closer to a literary, school hand than to that of a scribe
1 This edition is the result of a seminar by Peter van Minnen as Whitehead Professor
at the American School for Classical Studies at Athens during the 2008-09 academic
year. Although thanks are due also to the anonymous readers whose comments have
improved this edition, special thanks must go him. All remaining errors are my own.
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