Eagle-eyed librarian stumbles across segment of Egyptian notebook ‘that was bound in 260BC’ 

An eagle-eyed expert has stumbled upon a fragment of what is thought to be part of the world’s oldest book. 

Conservator Theresa Zammi Lupi discovered a notebook page from ancient Egypt — dating back to the third century — while rummaging through an Austrian library.

Despite originally forming part of a manuscript known as a codex, researchers think the same papyrus material was eventually used to wrap a mummy.

It was excavated 120 years ago at the burial site of El Hiba — a city located 300 miles away from Tutankhamun’s tomb.

But its true backstory was only realised this month amidst day-to-day examinations.

‘I was doing my routine work as a conservator in the laboratory,’ Ms Zammi Lupi said.

‘I was assessing our collection of papyrus because they need new storage and they need to be repaired if they’re slightly damaged or put on new glass.’

‘First I saw a piece of thread, only then did I notice the format of a book. I saw a central fold, the stitching holes and the written text within clearly defined margins on the papyrus.’

Ancient civilizations, such as the Greeks, Romans and Egyptians, used ‘papyrus’ as a form of paper to write messages on.

Researchers believe this 5.9 x 9.8 inch page was once part of a notebook recording tax accounts for beer and oil.

It was then recycled to wrap up a mummy as ‘cartonnage’ alongside other materials such as linen between 305 to 330 BC.  

While it was dug up in Egypt, the writing is actually a form of Greek, being one of the most used languages alongside Egyptian and Arabic at the time.

The nicknamed ‘Graz Mummy Book’ has now beaten what researchers previously thought were the oldest books by 400 years.

Two examples of this are stored at London’s British Library and the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin.

These are dated between 150 to 250 AD which pale in comparison to the Graz Mummy Book at 260BC.

‘The Graz Mummy Book was created 400 years earlier, making it the oldest surviving form of a book we know of to date,’  said Erich Renhart and Thomas Csanády, who both head the library’s special collections. 

Mr Renhart then added: ‘However, it is not unlikely that more such codex fragments exist in other collections that have just not been systematically searched for so far.

Researchers believe this 15 x 25 cm papyrus was once part of a notebook used to record tax accounts for beer and oil at around 260BC 

 Theresa Zammit Lupi (pictured centre-right) alongside Rector Peter Riedler (left), UB Director Pamela Stückler (centre-left) and Erich Renhart (right)

‘After all, papyrus was a relatively cheap writing material, and large quantities of fragments have survived.’

The library claims this discovery has acted as a ‘mandate’ to conduct further research in the field. 

Later in the year, international specialists are invited to meet in Graz to discuss the fragment and what has been learned about it. 

Ms Zammit Lupi added: ‘As a conservator, it feels very special to contribute to the history of the book. At the same time, you think it’s surreal. It’s like watching a movie!’ 

READ MORE: England’s oldest book the St Augustine Gospels was used in Coronation of King Charles

His Majesty personally requested that the ancient book – which has been in England longer than any other – be used at his Coronation.

After leaving its long-time home, at Cambridge University’s Corpus Christi College, the Gospels was carried in the procession to Westminster Abbey.

The intricately illustrated book had previously only left the college’s Parker Library for the enthronements of the last seven Archbishops of Canterbury and two papal visits. 

The ancient St Augustine Gospels, which date back to the sixth century, are set to feature at the King’s Coronation. Above: One of the pages in the beautifully illustrated manuscript