Open Scholarship

Muhlenberg College is the proud owner of the Robert C. Horn Papyrus Collection which consists of 36 papyrus fragments that date from late-antique Egypt (~400 C.E.).

Through the hard work and dedication of Susan Falciani, these pieces are now available online through a platform called “Shared Shelf”. This platform, however, is not particularly user friendly, and can provide a barrier to our documents reaching a wider audience. 

Together with Susan, I will be helping build an online exhibit on the Trexler Library website that will improve access to the collection. Additionally, I will incorporate my own previous work on the collection (as well as collaborative work performed by REL 308: Scrolls, Scribes and Scriptures) to contextualize the papyrus pieces in a more user-friendly and informative framework.

Though all 36 pieces will be considered, special attention will be given to approximately 6 “featured” pieces that are particularly important for the study of ancient Christianity.