Archaeologists at Athribis describe writing on more than 43,000 ostraca

Researchers from the University of Tübingen and Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities recovered over 43,000 ostraca at Athribis, containing everyday texts such as receipts, schoolwork and horoscopes that date from the Ptolemaic period through the 9th–11th centuries.

Archaeologists have recovered more than 43,000 ostraca—pottery shards and limestone flakes used for writing—at the Athribis site in Upper Egypt. The excavations were led by the University of Tübingen together with Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and took place from 2005 through 2026. The finds range in date from the Ptolemaic period into the 9th–11th centuries AD. Rather than monumental inscriptions, many of the pieces carry practical, everyday writing that sheds light on non-elite life. Key findings: - More than 43,000 ostraca were excavated at Athribis during work conducted from 2005 to 2026. - The texts are primarily in Demotic script, with additional examples in Greek, hieroglyphic, Coptic, Arabic and Hieratic. - Contents include receipts, delivery notes, school exercises, horoscopes and informal personal notes. - A large ceramic deposit discovered near the Temple of Ptolemy XII in 2018 led to expanded excavation and thousands more shards. - Finds were 3D digitized, catalogued and interpreted, and researchers reported that AI eased parts of the digitization and cataloguing process. Summary: The ostraca collectively document detailed record-keeping, literacy and aspects of religious and commercial life among ordinary people at Athribis across many centuries. The material complements other archaeological evidence about daily life on the Nile rather than focusing on elite or monumental records. Excavation and analysis are ongoing, and researchers expect the trove to expand as further pieces are uncovered and studied.