could have formed sulfuric or hydrochloric acid and that the resulting dross left on the gold
could have been considered its “rust.”
Ed.: Halleux (1981) 163–166; PGM 2.71.
Bink Hallum
Papyrus Leidensis X (230 – 350 CE)
A compendium of alchemical recipes contained in a papyrus codex of unknown proven-
ance but probably written by the same scribe or group of scribes as P. H. The
codex contains 99 alchemical recipes plus ten sections from D’ De materia
medica. Recipes 1–88 concern gold, silver and methods for writing with gold and silver, while
recipes 89–99 address coloring metals, stones and wool. Three recipes (31, 42 and 43) are
for the assaying of metals, but the vast majority is for creating alloys of between two and five
metals. The codex contains some recipes identical or similar to those in P. Holmiensis
(concordances in Halleux 1981: 14–15).
The recipes are similar to those in the Greek alchemical corpus, but with none of
the theoretical passages, elaborate decknamen or mystical speculation also found there. The
recipes seemingly are of a purely practical nature aimed at creating cheap imitations of
precious goods. Yet the fact that the papyrus is in the form of a codex written in an elegant
book-hand and that it shows no stains or signs of frequent thumbing suggests that it was
read in a library and not a laboratory.
Ed.: Halleux (1981) 84–109.
E.R. Caley, “The Leyden Papyrus X. An English Translation with Brief Notes,” Journal of Chemical
Education 3.10 (1926) 1149–1166.
Bink Hallum
P L. L. 165 ⇒ L
Papyrus Lit. Lond. 167 (100 BCE – 100 CE)
Careful and precise description of the bones of the foot, similar to R E,
Bones 38 ( p. 193 DR); G, Bones for Beginners 24 (2.776–777 K.); and -G,
I 12 (14.724–725 K.).
M.-H. Marganne, “Une description des os du tarse,” BASP 24 (1987) 23–34.
PTK
Papyrus London 98 (Coptic Part) (ca 110 – 190 CE)
Contains a connected text written in both Greek and Coptic. The Greek portion at the
beginning presents the calculation of a horoscope (13 April 95 CE). The Coptic part
consists of non-mathematical statements of magical purport.
J. Cˇerný, P.E. Kahle, and R.A. Parker, “The Old Coptic Horoscope,” JEA 43 (1957) 86–100;
Neugebauer and van Hoesen (1959) 28–38.
Leo Depuydt
P L . 137 ⇒ L
PAPYRUS LEIDENSIS X