Were the Oxyrhynchus papylogs truly a British discovery?
Explore how 19th-century archaeologists shaped the public story of Egypt's greatest papyrus finds. Dr. Roberta Mazza examines the gap between official colonial narratives and the reality of local knowledge in Egypt.
In the late 19th century, the British pioneers of papyrology used specific tropes to communicate their findings to the public. However, by analyzing private letters and accounts, Dr. Roberta Mazza reveals that these official histories often omitted details that are vital to modern understanding.
The video challenges the popular myth regarding the discovery of the Oxyrhynchus papyri. While official stories credit Grenfell and Hunt with the find, evidence suggests the papyri were already known to the local Egyptian inhabitants of el-Bahnasa.
Source: 'Narratives of Discovery' | Dr Roberta Mazza
