Coptic Manuscript
Coptic; Possibly from the Dayr al-Suriyan (Monastery of the Syrians), Wadi an-Natrun, Egypt; Written and illustrated in Egypt; Written in Coptic, with Arabic in the margins, in black and red
Paper; H. 8 7/8 in. (22.5 cm), W. 6 5/8 in. (16.8 cm); 44 leaves
Rogers Fund, 1919 (19.196.3)
Coptic; Possibly from the Dayr al-Suriyan (Monastery of the Syrians), Wadi an-Natrun, Egypt; Written and illustrated in Egypt; Written in Coptic, with Arabic in the margins, in black and red
Paper; H. 8 7/8 in. (22.5 cm), W. 6 5/8 in. (16.8 cm); 44 leaves
Rogers Fund, 1919 (19.196.3)
The Metropolitan Museum acquired the book of Coptic prayers following excavations by a Museum team at the site of the "Syrian Monastery" (dayr al-suriyan) in the region of Wadi an-Natrun in Egypt in 1919. It is not clear whether it was actually found at the site or acquired nearby, since there are no records and it does not present evident signs of burial. In a rapidly growing Arabic-speaking area, the Coptic text was supplemented with an Arabic translation on the right-hand side of each page, thus making this prayer book more accessible to a wider section of the population.
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