Manuscript Migration: The Multiple Lives of the Rubenstein Library's Collections
Dealers, Collectors, and Duke’s Libraries
Building the Duke Papyrus Collection
Duke University currently holds nearly 1,400 ancient papyri (a form of ancient paper), the fifth largest collection in the Western Hemisphere. Nearly all the Duke papyri were acquired under the leadership of former Duke Professor Dr. William H. Willis (1916-2000). By the time he arrived at Duke in 1968, Willis possessed his own small, though impressive collection of papyri, which he had inherited in 1958 from his friend and colleague at the University of Mississippi, Dr. David M. Robinson (1880-1958).
The first papyrus donated to Duke by William Willis, now known as P. Duk. inv. 3 (Duke Papyrus Inventory Number 3), preserves a text by the Greek orator Aeschines.
Also shown here, this very old piece of papyrus (P. Duk. inv. 25) was used to write a letter in ancient Egypt, on May 2nd 256 BCE, during the “Ptolemaic period” (that is, when the kings called the “Ptolemies” ruled). It was later recycled and used as mummy wrappings.
Bringing such a large number of rare artifacts to Duke quickly earned Willis a reputation as a scholar of considerable resource. In 1963, Willis began a yearly Christmas tradition of donating his own rare books to the University, which increased his prominence among the Duke community. Beginning in 1968, Willis began to donate the former Robinson papyri on an almost yearly cycle. Over the following two decades, Willis was able to secure funds through his contacts at Duke to purchase hundreds of papyri on behalf of the University, including the former Mississippi collection he had worked on.
A week before Christmas in 1964, William Willis made his first donation to Duke University, a medieval parchment, now known as Greek MS 29. This volume contains special, familiar, and personal prayers and liturgies spoken and sung by monks who passed their devotions to one another over many generations.
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Research contributed by:
Nicholas Wagner, PHD in Religion from Duke in 2021; researched papyri material as a Postdoctoral Associate in Classical Studies and the Religious Studies, and has written multiple lectures and papers on his findings.
Michael Freeman, PhD in Classical Studies in 2023 from Duke University, studied these materials during the 2021-2023 Manuscript Migration Lab and is continuing papyri research for future publications.
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