Coptic

The Supreme Council for Antiquities (SCA) announced that the Polish mission excavation in the Qurna has made one of the biggest Coptic finds in Egyptian history. While working in one of the tombs in Luxor’s Barr Gharbi (west bank), the Polish group discovered three papyrus books including important Coptic writings, dating back to the sixth century AD. Although the tomb where the books were found dates to a much earlier era, Dr. Zahi Hawass, director of the SCA, explained that the early Copts, who suffered from persecution, had probably hidden the important books in an ancient tomb for fear of discovery. Hawass further added that the finds are equal in importance to the Naga Hammadi manuscripts, which were discovered inside some clay urns. This find is likely to shed light on the practices of the early Egyptian Copts and includes a book with a decorated wooden cover (22.5cm by 17cm) and another book comprising 50 pages and bound in a leather cover. The third book has both wooden and leather covers, but is in very bad condition. Theologists cannot wait for the restoration processes to begin, so as to start deciphering the information to be found inside the books.