Der klassische Archäologe Hermann Thiersch (1874-1939) und der Erwerb der Basler Papyrussammlung im Jahr 1899/1900

The Classical Archaeologist Hermann Thiersch (1874-1939) and the Acquisition of the Basel Papyrus Collection in 1899/1900. During the winter of 1899/1900, the young archaeologist Hermann Thiersch traveled to Cairo to purchase papyri for the universities in Basel, Strasbourg, and Munich. By this point, European and North American collectors and researchers were racing to discover the finest material either for their own archaeological excavations or by purchasing papyri from local antiquities dealers who were generally supplied with material by looters. This article examines the acquisition of the Basel papyrus collection in the context of the great 'papyrus rush' that was in full swing. It also offers an insight into the collaboration of European archaeologists and classicists working in Egypt at the turn of the twentieth century.