This collection of over 600 ostraca in Demotic and Greek comes from the military garrison established by the Ptolemies at Gebelein in the early 2nd century BC to protect Thebes from possible indigenous revolts in Upper Egypt. The ostraca were used for writing down texts relative to every-day issues such as receipts, contracts, letters, and lists. They also include many “temple oaths.” Taking an oath at the temple door was a procedure used in trials to make up for the absence of legally valid documents.
