Iefimerida: U of M papyrologist talks about science

Earlier reported on UM Today a new exhibit opened on October 12, 2016 in the U of M’s Archives and Special Collections based on Michael Sampson’s papyrological research. The exhibit aims to provide a general introduction to papyrology, but especially to the 1920 purchase of some 534 ancient texts for the University of Michigan.

Sampson, a papyrologist in the U of M’s Department of Classics, co-curated the exhibit alongside undergraduate student Amber Leenders. Sampson’s research has focused on the texts in that 1920 purchase.

“Almost 100 years later, more than half of them haven’t been read or published,” says Sampson. So my job as a papyrologist is to go and read someone’s scribbling, from almost 2,000 years ago (and in ancient Greek!) and to publish it so that historians or others who are investigating the history of Egypt of the time can use the material. Not everyone can read a papyrus (or ancient Greek!)”

The exhibit, as well as two corresponding lectures, has caught the attention of Greek media. Iefimerida, a well-known online news outlet in Greece, recently published an interview with Michael Sampson about his papyrological research.

Read more at www.iefimerida.gr (warning: published in Greek!)