Bernard Pyne Grenfell

Bernard Pyne Grenfell ( born December 16, 1869 in Birmingham, † May 18 1926 in Eley at Perth ) was an English papyrologist.

Grenfell studied from 1888 to 1892 at the Queen's College, Oxford University. In 1894, he traveled for the first time to study newly discovered papyri in Egypt, this should be followed by many more stays there. In 1894 he became a Research Fellow at Queen's College, in 1908 he received a professorship of Papyrology, the first Professor of Papyrology at all. In 1909 he suffered a nervous breakdown and was then restricted to health. In 1916 he was appointed Honorary Professor, 1919 to the Joint professor. In 1921 he suffered a health relapse, after a stay in a sanatorium in St. Andrews, he spent the rest of his life in the mental hospital by Eley.

With his friend and colleague Arthur Surridge Hunt, he participated in the archaeological excavations at Oxyrhynchus and discovered many ancient manuscripts including some of the oldest known copies of the New Testament and the Septuagint. Also, other findings were very extensive and previously unknown works include well-known classical authors. The majority of the finds consists of thousands of documented texts such as invoices, lists, purchase contracts, etc. It also para biblical material as the " Logia of Jesus " (words) was found.

He was involved in the editing of The Oxyrhynchus Papyri Project, on the publication of the Amherst papyri and other works.

Publications

• With Arthur Surridge Hun: Sayings of Our Lord from on early Greek papyrus. Egypt Exploration Fund, London, 1897.
• With Arthur Surridge Hunt, David George Hogarth: Fayum Towns and Their Papyri. London 1900.
• Grenfell was the first editor of the Oxyrhynchus papyri and published in the first 15 volumes in 1828 papyrus fragments. Detailed references in the article Oxyrhynchus Papyri
• He was editor of the Amherst Papyri, and gave them two volumes out. References in the article Amherst Papyri