Writing Exercise Tablet
Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art
MEDIUM
Wood, wax
DATES
4th century C.E.
PERIOD
Ptolemaic Period
DIMENSIONS
6 3/4 x 5 3/16 x 1/4 in. (17.2 x 13.2 x 0.7 cm)
(show scale)
ACCESSION NUMBER
37.473E
CREDIT LINE
Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION
Writing tablets, or pugillaris, belonging a schoolboy named Theophilos, son of Martyrios. First of five wooden writing tablets bound together. The writing tablet grouping is arranged in the following order: 37.473E, 37.1909E, 37.474E, 37.1910E, and 37.1908E. The unwaxed surface of this tablet served as the cover. The opposite waxed surface is the master's copy of gnomic verses in Greek consisting of six lines.
"When anyone doing evil things
speaks good things
and does not escape the notice of him who is present
Twofold beams the evil to him.
Of when doing ill, a man beames vicious words
nor hides the secret from the stander by twofold
To him become the wickedness"
Probably a fragment of Menandes.
Condition: Good. The blackened wax in the one recess retains extensive inscriptions. There are some linear areas lifting parallel to the wood grain. The unrecessed wood surface shows extreme wear and scratches.
MUSEUM LOCATION
This item is not on view
CAPTION
Writing Exercise Tablet, 4th century C.E. Wood, wax, 6 3/4 x 5 3/16 x 1/4 in. (17.2 x 13.2 x 0.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 37.473E. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: , 37.473E_back_PS11.jpg)
IMAGE
back, 37.473E_back_PS11.jpg., 2017
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RIGHTS STATEMENT
Creative Commons-BY
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