Tebtunis

Tebtunis is an archaeological site in the Faiyum Oasis of Egypt. It represents a small urban center that flourished in the late Ptolemaic and Roman periods and is best known for its temple complex and the extensive papyrus discoveries associated with it.

The site centers on the temple precinct dedicated to Soknopaios, a local crocodile god, and includes surrounding religious buildings, houses, and workshops. The temple served as a religious and economic hub, storing offerings, records, and a library of texts. The presence of a temple library and a high density of documentary inscriptions led to the discovery of one of the most substantial bodies of papyri from Roman Egypt.

Tebtunis papyri, collected during late 19th and early 20th century excavations led by Grenfell and Hunt for the Egypt Exploration Fund, date roughly from the 3rd century BCE to the 3rd century CE. The documents encompass a wide range of genres, including private letters, school exercises, contracts, tax and financial records, and religious texts. They provide detailed insights into daily life, administration, education, family and social structures, and the interactions between Greek-speaking and Egyptian communities under Graeco-Roman rule.

Today the site offers archaeological remains that illuminate religious practice, urban layout, and the economy of a provincial town in Roman Egypt. The Tebtunis material remains a cornerstone for papyrology and the study of ancient Egyptian society, religion, and daily life.