Aramaic texts have been discovered in Egypt since the first decade of the nineteenth century. The first texts discovered were letters (now known as the Padua Papyri). Subsequently, documents of different sorts, literary and contractual, came to light; they were written not only on skin and papyrus but also on ostraca. During the last century and a half, such Aramaic documents have brought to light examples of so-called Imperial or Official Aramaic that provide an important background for the study of Biblical Aramaic. They have been published in many different places, in books, and in articles. Some were well published, others not so well, depending on the pioneering nature of such studies of texts that were only gradually coming to light. Almost seventy years ago A. Cowley collected the then-known texts in a convenient handbook, Aramaic Papyri of the Fifth Century B.C. (Oxford: Clarendon, 1923). Subsequently, other important texts were published by E. G. Kraeling, G. R. Driver, and J. B. Segal.
Now Bezalel Porten and Ada Yardeni have undertaken a massive restudy of these important documents. They have consulted the originals, restudied the fragments of texts (sometimes neglected by earlier scholars), made new and more appropriate joints, improved the readings, and translated and interpreted the texts anew. Most important of all, they have provided hand-drawn facsimiles of the documents restudied. In this Porten has been aided by the talented artist, A. Yardeni, who has furnished excellent copies of the texts.
Gathered in this second volume are the Bauer-Meissner land lease, 24 documents of the Mibtahiah and Anani archives, 7 deeds of obligation, 6 conveyances, 4 marriage documents, 6 judicial oaths, and 12 court records, in all 58 contractual documents. Accompanying the texts are tables with cross-references to other collections, a general bibliography and another on topography and chronology, and a glossary (which includes names of gods, places, months, and persons in separate lists). Each text or group of texts is briefly introduced and accompanied by an English and Hebrew translation; brief notes call attention to variant readings of other editors. At the end of each text, short specific bibliographical references are supplied. In all, this is an ideal publication, bringing together all that is needed for the study of these contracts. P. and Y. have put scholars and students in their debt.
