The Influence of Ancient Jewish Scribal Practices on Codex Panopolitanus (the Akhmim Fragment): Links Between the Book of the Watchers in 1 Enoch, the Gospel of Peter and the Apocalypse of Peter

The Enoch and Petrine compositions—the Gospel of Peter, and the Apocalypse of Peter—are partly thematically linked in Codex Panopolitanus (also known as the Akhmim Fragment), from Upper Egypt. The so-called “duplicate” extract from the Greek Book of the Watchers in the papyrus codex is the subject of debate among scholars regarding its significance, background, and textual history. This study considers whether the involvement of two scribes and the presence of a duplicate extract in the Enoch composition reflects Second Temple Jewish scribal practices. By comparing some scribal traditions found in the Nash Papyrus and Qumran corpus, it is proposed that the beginnings and endings in the Enoch sections are harmonized with similar themes in the Petrine corpus. It is also suggested that the unusual binding of the Apocalypse of Peter, which is placed upside down and back-to-front in the codex, is intentional. This research is important for understanding how Jewish and Christian groups developed and adapted apocalyptic literature, and for an insight into scribal and book-binding practices for non-canonical use in late antiquity.