SYMPOSIUM MYCONENSE ALTERUM

DE PAPYRO DERVENIENSI

It is with great pleasure that I’m writing to you to announce the organization of a major symposium devoted to a focused study of the Derveni Papyrus, and to cordially invite you to participate in it. This special meeting will be held from July 6 to 14, 2008, in Myconos, Greece. 

The colloquium is meant to open a new era in the investigation of that crucially important document. For the first time, a reliable and more complete foundation for scholarly research will be provided by the presentation of the evidence established in the context of the novel project of a comprehensive study of the papyrus and its text, which has been undertaken by Dirk Obbink and myself. The project involved the first digital imaging of the papyrus employing the technique of multispectral analysis by the BYU specialists. Direct autopsy of the papyrus fragments, also under the microscope, has also been carried on, as well as work on the confusing old sets of photographs. First results regarding the reconstruction of the papyrus roll and the constitution of a truly critical text will be shown in the meeting.

The aim in the symposium will be to subject the Derveni papyrus and its text concurrently to diverse lines of approach in the fields of ancient philosophy, history of Greek religion, philology, papyrology, history, history of ideas and archaeology. Vital questions of authorship and import of the document are expected to be thoroughly discussed. In depth debate on its significance for Orphism on the one hand and for the intellectual milieu of its time on the other, can lead to important clarifications and insights in both areas of inquiry. Any aspect of the subject that you may deem worthy of your close examination is very welcome to be included in the program of the meeting.

Terms and conditions of participation in the meeting are the same with those for the series *Symposia Philosphiae Antiquae*. The schedule of work consists of a sequence of sessions, each session lasting for two hours, one approximately hour of presentation, one of debate on each paper. Final  versions of the papers for inclusion in the publication of the Proceedings are to be submitted within a reasonable time limit set after the event. Volumes, like all publications of the Institute for Philosophical Research, are being handled internationally by Oxbow Books. Expenses (including air travel) of those invited to participate are being covered by the Institute.