Welcome to Ain Shams University

The Center of Papyrological Studies and Inscriptions

2021-03-09

The Center of Papyrological Studies and Inscriptions was established in 1980 by the hand of Prof. Dr. Abdullah El-Mosallamy as one of the specialized research centers at Ain Shams University. The Center's primary aim is the textual objects such as papyri and inscriptions and others written in ancient languages and scripts such as Hieroglyphic, Hieratic, Demotic, Coptic, Greek, Latin, Aramaic, Hebrew, and Arabic.

The mission of the Center is to enhance the study of the documentary evidence of the ancient world. It maintains close ties with the associated disciplines of papyrology, Numismatics and conservation Sciences.

At the core of the Centre’s holdings are the Hassan Ragab collection (Papyri- manuscripts- coins), and another collection of ancient coins from the Greco- Roman period.

The center's library includes more than five thousand publications in the fields of Papyrology and Epigraphy, that are available for accessing to researchers at all levels. It has also a restoration lab.

The Center hosts meetings of national and international significance in the fields of ancient studies.

For contact, please e-mail: cpsi.admin@dir.asu.edu.eg

The Center has established relations with well-known specialized institutes in the same field of interest in Egypt and abroad.

The Center has enriched the library with up-to-date publications, both books and periodicals, to assist scholars in their studies in Papyrology and Epigraphy, e.g. the Center exchanges its Bulletin with the famous BIFAO (Bulletin de l'Institut Français d'Archéologie Orientale) editions (France/Egypt) and the ZPE (Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik) (Germany/Cologne). The Center is provided with the issues of the latter journal 4 times a year according to an exchange policy with the publisher.

The Center, through its Restoration Division, works on the restoration and preservation of its own set of papyri. The Center in the cooperation with Fudan University from China and a joint team of Chinese experts and Egyptian researchers helped in the restoration of The book of the Greek scientist Hippocrates ΙΠΠΟΚΡΑΤΟΥΣ ΠΑΝΤΩΝ ΤΩΝ ΙΑΤΡΩΝ ΚΟΡΥΦΑΙΟΥ ΤΑ ΕΥΡΙΣΚΟΜΕΝΑ = Magni Hippocratis Medicorum Omnium Facile Principis, AD 1657. It is one of the rare books and manuscripts of the central library's holdings of Ain Shams University.

There are Courses almost offered permanently in Hieroglyphic, Hieratic, Demotic, Coptic, Greek, Latin, Aramaic and Hebrew.

The Center has organized another special courses and workshops:

By the engagements of DAAD and DAI (Cairo), Prof. Dr. Cornelia E. Römer, a long-term lecturer at the German Academic Exchange Service at Ain Shams University has taught for more than 6 years since November 2010 courses in papyrology and ancient Greek for post-graduate students; these courses included practical training to do archaeological excavations in Fayoum, field trips to archaeological sites such as Saqqara, Fayoum, and etc.

"Arabic Papyrology: It's Origin and Development." Dr. Khaled Younis, University of Sadat City. (25th June- 3rd July 2018)

"Registration, Documentation and Conservation of Manuscripts and Papyri." Prof. Dr. Mohamed Ma'arouf; Ms. Eman Selim. (8th-10th July 2018).

Workshop: "The Astrolabe.", Dr. Flora Fafia (21-1-2019)

Workshop: "Thamudic, Nabataean, Safavid and Aramaic inscriptions- How to read in these languages?", Prof. Dr. Suleiman Al-Dheeb and Prof. Dr. Mohamed El-Hawray. (19-20 Feburary 2019).

"Accents in ancient Greek language", Prof. Dr. Mohamed Hamdy Ibrahim, Cairo University. (4th -20th March 2019)

" Architectural Styles in the Greco- Roman Periods." Prof. Dr. Sobhy Ashour, Helwan University. (19th -20th April 2019)

"One World, Egypt, Byzantium and Globalization in the Early Byzantine Period", Dr. Engy Hanna, El-Minya University (30 May 2019)

"Documentation and Scientific Registration of the Archeology." Dr. Amr Abd. El-Fattah. (8th – 9th July 2019).

"Restoration and Conservation of Ancient Pottery.", Dr. Sherif Omar, Cairo University. (13th -15th July 2019)

"Restoration and Conservation of Archaeological Icons." Prof. Dr. Magdy Mansour Badawey. (6th- 8th August 2019).

"Reading Aramaic Papyri from Elephantine." Dr. Abeer El-Hadidi. (19th -20th November 2019)

" Ancient Egyptian Texts in the Greek and Roman Periods", Prof. Dr. Ali abd El-Halim, Ain Shams University. (22-29 September 2019)

Workshop: "Papyri: from The Papyrus Plant to Texts." (9-13 June 2019.) The workshop was organized by the Center in collaboration with the DAI (Cairo). Invited Teachers were: Marius Gerhardt, Ägyptisches Museum und Papyrussammlung, Berlin; Jörg Graf, Universitätsbibliothek , Leipzig.

Workshop: Photograph Conversation." Prof. Dr. Mona Fouad, Cairo University; Ms. Rasha Shaheen and Mr. Mohamed Hendi (Ministry Antiquity) and Dr. Medat Eldabaa (Alexandria University) (8th -9th December 2019).

"The Egyptian Influence upon the Greek Arts: Ptolemaic Kings as Pharaohs (Statues-Artistic Features), Dr. Galal Refaey. (16th August- 3rd September 2020) (Online).

" Excavation Arts between Theory and Practice." Dr. Mamdouh Farouk. (27th August- 5th September 2020) (Online).

"Facsimile - Transformation and drawing scenes and texts on a computer using the Adobe Illustrator Programme." Dr. Ali Abd.Alhaim (Ain Shams University) (15th -29th September 2020) (Online).

"An Introduction of Studying and Identification the Coptic Literary Manuscripts." Dr. Ibrahim Saweros, Sohag University. (19th September- 22th October 2020) (Online).

"The Arabic Papyri." Dr. AlShamiaa Ibrahiem (Ain Shams University) (20th -22nd September 2020) (Online).

"Coinage Conservation and Detection Methods of Counterfeit Coins." Dr. Almoatz-bellah Elshahawi, Conservator at Grand Egyptian Museum. (20th November – 5th December 2020) (Online)

"Introduction to the Architecture and Coptic Arts." Dr. Ibrahim Saweros, Sohag University. (13th December 2020- 16th January 2021.) (Online).

For examples:

"Reading on the Jewish Tombstones", Dr. Saeed Abdel Salam (22nd October 2015).

"Sinai in the Pharaonic Period", Prof. Dr. Noor Galal (Ain Shams University) (2nd December 2015)

"Money in Egypt from Alexander the Great to Cleopatra.", Prof. Dr. Thomas Faucher (Sorbonne University) (18th February 2015)

"Poetic Purposes in the Old Testament and their Tools", Prof. Dr. Hanan Metwaly. (22nd November 2016)

"Aspects of the Daily Life and the Copts", Dr. Soheir Ahmed. (Ain Shams University), (14th March 2018)

"Museum's Display – German Museums as Examples", Dr. Adbel Hamid Masoud (Ain Shams University) (2nd April 2018)

"The First Hellenistic Gymnasium found in Egypt", Prof. Dr. Cornelia E. Römer (DAI, Cairo and Ain Shams University) (3rd December 2018).

"Books and Libraries in Christian Egypt (4th 13th centuries)", Prof. Dr. Anne Boud'hors (French National Centre for Scientific Research) (19th February 2019)

"Papyrological Evidences for Early Christianity at Oxyrhynchus", Prof Dr. Lincoln H. BIumell (Brigham Young University) (26th February 2019)

" Study of the Coptic Literature through some Coptic manuscripts", Dr. Youhanna Nessim Youssef (23rd December 2019).

"The Role of Inscriptions and Divine Features in the Indentify the Ptolemaic Royal Portraits." Dr. Galal Rafaey (Greco Roman Archeology Monthly Seminar- 10th August 2020) (Online)

" The Conversation from Paganism to Christianity Portraying Jesus as a Type." Dr. Doaa' Bahey, Coptic Studies Center- The Bibliotheca Alexandrina (Greco- Roman Archeology Monthly Seminar- 7th September 2020) (Online)

"The Archeology of the Provinces of the Ancient Maghreb." Dr. Hend Ahmed AbuShaheen (Greco- Roman Archeology Monthly Seminar - 5th October 2020) (Online)

" Funerary Art in Egypt during the Roman Period between constants and variables." Dr. Ahmed Ata Derbala, ElMinya University. (Greco- Roman Archeology Monthly Seminar – 2nd November 2020) (Online)

" Pselchis a look at the History and Archeology of the site." Prof. Dr. Khaled Ghareb (Cairo University); Dr. Radwan AbdelRady (Aswan University) (Online)

" Beans, Cotton, and Papyrus Basics of Studying the Archaeological Plants in Egypt." Dr. Menna' Allha Al-Dorey; The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, (14th January 2021) (Online)

"The Acrobatic Movements in Egypt in the Greco Roman Periods." Dr. Nagwa Ibraheim, Ain Shams University (Greco- Roman Archeology Monthly Seminar – 1st February 2021) (Online)

"The Islamic Architectural Heritage in the Balkans: The Future of Scientific Publishing in Islamic Archeology as a Model." Dr. Ahmed Mahmoud Amen, ElFayoum University, (Islamic Archeology Monthly Seminar – 3rd February 2021) (Online)

"Pages from the Egyptian Civilization", Prof. Dr. Mamdouh ElDamty (Ain Shams University) (Ancient Egyptian Seminar Monthly Seminar 4th February 2021) (Online)

"Animals and Mummies in Late Antiquity", Prof. Dr. Salima Ikram (AUC) (17th February 2021) (Online)

"Egyptian Divinities Represented in the Form of Roman Emperors in Military Costumes." Prof. Dr. Marwa ElKady (Alexandria University) (Greco- Roman Archeology Monthly Seminar- 1st March 2021) (Online)

"The Saqqara Saite Tombs Projects: Updates and the Archaeology of Mummification.", Prof. Dr. Ramadan B. Hussein (University of Tuebingen) (Ancient Egyptian Seminar Monthly Seminar- 8th March 2021) (Online)

"The Kiosk of Taharqa at Karnak in the Ptolemaic Period ", Prof. Dr. Martina Minas-Nerpel, Professor of Egyptology (University of Trier). (International Seminar- 15th March 2021) The event is hosted by Prof. Dr. Mamdouh Eldamaty with the collaboration of Prof. Dr. Cornelia Römer. (Online)

Bulletin of Center of Papyrological Studies and Inscriptions (BCPSI): 1985- today. It is available on the Egyptian Knowledge Bank website EKB. https://bcps.journals.ekb.eg/

For instance:

The XIXth International Congress of Papyrology (2nd 9th September 1989).

The 1st International Conference: "Palestine in Light of papyri" (September 1998).

The 2nd International Conference:"The Relationship of Greek Civilization with Arab Civilization" (22nd 25th March 2010).

The 3rd International Conference: "The Mutual Influence between the Ancient Civilizations." (26th 28th March 2012)

The 4th International Conference: "Thought of Egypt through the Ages." (2nd 4th April 2013)

The 5th International Conference: "The Word and Image in Ancient Civilizations." (29th 31st March 2014)

The 6th International Conference: "Ancient Traditions between: Orality, Literacy and Depiction." (31st March – 2nd April 2015)

The 7th International Conference: "Daily Life in Ancient Egypt" (29th 31st March 2016).

“The 7th International Fayoum Symposium”, organized in collaboration with the DAAD and the DAI (29th October 3rd November 2018 in Cairo and the Fayoum).

The 8th International Conference in the collaboration with the Coptic Orthodox Culture Center: Medicine and Pharmacy in Egypt and the Near East from Ancient Era to the Early Islamic Period." (18th 20th December 2018)

"Manuscripts and Semitic Inscriptions Investigation and Studying." (13th March 2019)

"Egyptian Temples in GrecoRoman Period" organized in collaboration with the Department of GrecoRoman Archeology - Cairo University (24th July2019)

"Interaction of Civilization on the Egyptian Land during Greco Roman Period." organized in collaboration with the department of Greco-Roman archeology -Cairo University. (9-10th December 2019).

"Egyptian Deities in GrecoRoman Era: The Overlap and Integration." (Thursday 16th July 2020, 5:009:00 PM Cairo Time.) (1st Webinar)

"Egyptian Army: A History of Struggle." (Saturday 24th October 2020, 4:00 7:00 PM Cairo Time) (2nd Webinar)

To be translated

To be translated