Manuscript encomium on St. Michael Archangel written and decorated in Egypt, before August 30, 895.
Encomium on St. Michael Archangel, attributed to Theodosius of Alexandria (attributed erroneously in the title to Timothy of Alexandria). Sahidic parallels edited and translated into English by Budge.
Colophons: 1) fol. 23v: Donation in Coptic: By Deacon Makari, "son" of Deacon Iōhanēs; 2) fol. 23v: Memorial, date in Coptic: For Gabri, "servant" of the Monastery of St. Michael near present-day Hamuli, AM 611 (August. 29, 894-August 29, 895), in the same hand as that in colophons 1 and 2 of M.596 and perhaps also as that of the copyist of M.603.
Early dating terminus given as per L. Depuydt in "Catalogue of Coptic manuscripts in the Pierpont Morgan Library", p. L: "The earliest and latest dates found in Hamuli colophons are AD 822/823 and AD 913/914...Since the Hamuli group is fairly homogeneous, it is reasonable to assume that all manuscripts from Hamuli roughly belong in the period AD 822/823-913/914."
Makari, "son" of John is probably also mentioned in M.587.
Written area ca. 265 x 186 mm. Divisions: Enlarged, greatly enlarged (often reddened, but yellow at fols. 11v-12r) or major initial, and paragraphus sign setting off paragraphs. Exceeding letters of last line of the page written below end of the line on ca. half of the rectos (encompassed by a red stroke) and on fol. 9v at end of a quire.
Script: Upright (title and colophons right-sloping). 10 lines = ca. 77 mm
Superlineation: Non-standard. Punctuation: Raised dot in conjunction with a space; reddened stroke as space filler at ends of paragraphs. Tremas.
Collation: Signed on first and last page of the quire, top inner margin. No quire ornaments, monograms, headlines or catchwords.
Decoration: Frontispiece of Michael Archangel, headpiece, paragraphus signs, signatures and page numbers, extended letters. Colors: Grayish reddish brown (Centroid 46), dark yellow (88).