Dec. 7, 1925
In making this assignment regard has been had not only to quantity
of pieces but also to their quality and not only to their appeareance
but to the character of their contents. It is hoped that each contributor
has received good value and that a fair division has been made. The
papyri were taken in sets according to the following arrangement:- A.
Zeno papyri. 1. Appolonius letters; 2. "Complete" (i.e. complete or
approximately so) papyri; 3. incomplete papyri; 4. Smaller fragments.
B. Later papyri. 1. Miscellaneous; 2. "Complete" Roman or early Byzantine
papyri; 3. Incomplete Roman papyri, including small fragments and scraps.
The division works out as follows:
British Museum
A. Apollonius 1; "Complete" 14; Incomplete 20; Smaller fragments
5.
B. "Complete" 8; Incomplete 16. Total 64.
Michigan
A. Apollonius 2; "Complete" 17; Incomplete 20; Smaller fragments
5.
B. Miscellaneous 4; "Complete" 7; Incomplete 13. Total 68
Columbia
A. Apollonius 2; "Complete" 15; Incomplete 22; Smaller fragments
5.
B. "Complete" 16; Incomplete 9. Total 69.
The British Museum thus receives fewer papyri than the other contributos
and its quota includes rather fewer pieces in fine preservation, but
the special interest of two or three of the papyri assigned to it (e.g.
1,70,179) and the length of 132 suggested , in compensation, a rather
larger assignment to the others, whose quotas however include several
very notable papyri. The proposed distribution (which is approved by
Mr. Gilson, after inspection of the whole collection) is sent to the
other contributors in order that they may have an opportunity of raising
any objections which occur to them.
H. I. Bell
British Museum.
