The power of words: Egyptian language and culture in the Papyrus Museum

The power of words: Egyptian language and culture in the Papyrus Museum

In the Papyrus Museum of the Austrian National Library in Vienna, the special exhibition "The Power of Words. Rule and Cultural Diversity in ancient Egypt" opens on June 12, 2025. This exhibition will be shown by May 3, 2026 and includes over 90 exhibits that have an insight into the different languages ​​of around 1500 BC. BC to 1000 AD. Original documents on papyrus, parchment and paper will illustrate the topic of language traditions and their historical and social change, such as [ots] (https://www.ots.at/presseaus-sung/ots_2025061/diemacht-der-wert- and-kulture-varfalt-im-antikypt) reported.

The exhibition focuses on the simultaneous existence and overlay of different languages ​​in Egypt. Particular attention is paid to the parallel care of rule and popular languages ​​for centuries. Egypt was historically a multilingual country. While Greek has been established as the language of rule since the conquest by Alexander, the language of the local population remained Egyptian. Around 30 BC BC, when Egypt was connected to the Roman empire, Latin became the command language for the Roman soldiers, even if it was not widespread.

insights into the multilingualism of ancient Egypt

Bernhard Palme, member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences and Director of the Papyrus collection, emphasizes in an interview how Papyri offer valuable insights into the everyday life of people in Roman and late antiquities Egypt. "In the Hellenistic period, Greek became an official language," explains Palme. The locals needed Greek for administrative tasks, while the Egyptian language remained present in the population, how Archeology42 reports.

Most people spoke Egyptian while the Greek was dictated in the administration. Latinity in particular needed the Roman army and the highest administrative level. There are around 2000 Latin Papyri worldwide, many of Roman soldiers, and these documents give a deep insight into personal affairs. For example, Palm describes a special debt between two soldiers who served as a kind of certificate for everyday life.

The historical language of Egypt

The Egyptian language is one of the oldest documented languages ​​in the world and has developed over thousands of years. It ranges from the hieroglyphs that combine logographic and phonetic elements, to ancient Egyptian, center -Egyptian and New Egyptically to the Coptic language. The hieroglyphic script, which between 3000 BC. BC and 1000 AD was used, the most famous form is, while the Coptic script has been used in liturgical contexts of the Coptic Orthodox and Coptic Catholic Church since the 3rd century, as [Sprachfabrik24] (https://schaftfabrik24.de/sprachen/aegyptic language history-Arbung/).

Currently Arabic and various Coptic dialects dominate modern Egypt, while the original forms of the Egyptian language are no longer spoken. The upcoming exhibition also shows how the languages ​​of the past document both the cultural plurality and the political history of ancient Egypt.

The opening times of the exhibition are from Tuesday to Sunday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., with an extension on Thursday until 9 p.m. The admission price is ꞓ 6,-, a guided tour can be booked for ꞓ 5,- and for visitors under the age of 19, admission is free. The exhibition catalog "The power of words. Rule and cultural diversity in ancient Egypt", edited by Bernhard Palme and Angelika Zdiarsky, is available for ꞓ 34,-