Eagle-eyed librarian stumbles upon a piece of an Egyptian notebook ‘written in 260 B.C. was bound’

An eagle-eyed expert has stumbled upon a fragment of what is believed to be part of the world’s oldest book.

Conservator Theresa Zammi Lupi discovered a notebook page from ancient Egypt – dating back to the third century – while rummaging through an Austrian library.

Despite originally being part of a manuscript known as a codex, researchers believe the same papyrus material was eventually used to wrap a mummy.

It was excavated 120 years ago in the cemetery of El Hiba, a city 500 kilometers away from Tutankhamun’s tomb.

But the true backstory was only realized this month during daily investigations.

“I was doing my routine work as a conservator in the lab,” said Ms. Zammi Lupi.

“I was reviewing our collection of papyrus because they need new storage and they need to be repaired if slightly damaged or put on new glass.”

‘First I saw a piece of wire, only then did I see the size of a book. I saw a center fold, the stitching holes and the written text within clear margins on the papyrus.’

Ancient civilizations, such as the Greeks, Romans and Egyptians, used ‘papyrus’ as a type of paper to write messages on.

Researchers believe this 5.9 x 9.8 inch page was once part of a notebook containing tax bills for beer and oil.

It was then recycled between 305 and 330 BC to wrap a mummy as ‘cartonnage’ alongside other materials such as linen.

Although it was excavated in Egypt, the writing is actually a form of Greek, which was one of the most widely used languages ​​at the time alongside Egyptian.

The nickname “Graz Mummy Book” has now beaten the oldest books by 400 years that researchers previously thought.

Two examples of this are stored in the British Library in London and the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin.

These have been dated to between 150 and 250 AD, which pales in comparison to the Graz Mummy Book of 260 BC.

“The Graz Mummy Book was created 400 years earlier, making it the oldest surviving form of a book known to date,” say Erich Renhart and Thomas Csanády, who are both heads of the library’s special collections.

Mr Renhart added: ‘However, it is not unlikely that more such codex fragments exist in other collections that have simply not been systematically searched to date.

Researchers believe this 6 x 10 inch papyrus was once part of a notebook used around 260 B.C. to keep tax accounts for beer and oil

Theresa Zammit Lupi (photo center right) next to rector Peter Riedler (left), UB director Pamela Stückler (center left) and Erich Renhart (right)

‘After all, papyrus was relatively cheap writing material and large quantities of fragments have been preserved.’

The library claims that this discovery has served as a “mandate” to conduct further research in the field.

Later in the year, international specialists are invited to meet in Graz to discuss the fragment and what has been learned about it.

Ms Zammit Lupi added: ‘As a curator it feels very special to contribute to the history of the book. At the same time you find it surreal. It’s like watching a movie!’

READ MORE: England’s oldest book, the St Augustine Gospels, was used at the coronation of King Charles

His Majesty has personally requested that the ancient book – which has been in England longer than any other – be used at his coronation.

After leaving their ancient home, at Cambridge University’s Corpus Christi College, the Gospels were carried in procession to Westminster Abbey.

The intricately illustrated book had previously only left the college’s Parker Library for the investiture of the last seven Archbishops of Canterbury and two papal visits.

The ancient St. Augustine Gospels, dating back to the sixth century, will be on display at the king’s coronation. Above: One of the pages in the beautifully illustrated manuscript