Charioteer Papyrus

The Charioteer Papyrus (TM 65096 ) is a small papyrus fragment from the 6th century AD with a detailed and coloured depiction of six charioteers in red and green tunics. It was in all likelihood an illustration for a luxurious manuscript. One theory speculates it accompanied the scene in the Iliad describing the chariot race at the games at the funeral of Patroclus; others refute this hypothesis on the grounds that the number of charioteers is wrong. Unfortunately, not enough text survives to determine the work. This little gem is currently held in the Sackler Library in Oxford where it is stored in the Papyrology Rooms (s.n.), as part of the The Egypt Exporation Society Oxyrhynchus Papyri collection.