Later 3rd century AD. A wooden tablet with recess to one face, with text written in dark ink in cursive script, North African; partial transcription ...[ag]rum Maccurentianum qui est in fundo Titiano sub dominio Iuli Pullaieni cum olibe arbores sexa[ginta ... us?]que ad fines agri Florentini Ururi Maiule [...uti] optimus maximusq(ue iure) es[se]t, denarios n(ummum) quinque milia [...s]e accepisse et habere a Geminio Postum[io ...] dixit Iulus Mercurialis. Geminius Postumius agrum Maccarentianum cum olibe arbores saxaginta et arbores fici duodecim ut s(upra) scriptum t(eneat) h(abeat) p(ossideat) utatur fruaturque ipse heredesque eius in perpetuo, ex hac die ...; Translation: ... the field called Maccurentianum which lies in the fundus Titianus which is in the possession of Julius Pallaienus with ... 60 olive trees ... (which stretches as far as) to the borders of the field in the possession of Florentinius, Ururius and Masiula [...] (the field) which is free of all burdens. Julius Mercurialis said that he got and now has five thousand (and ?) denarii from Geminius Postumius. Geminius Postumius (from now on) should have in his possession the field called Maccurentianum with sixty olive trees and twelve fig trees as it is written above and he shall use it and profit from it and also his heirs forever. (Followed by legal formulas which confirm that the agricultural land is now owned by the purchaser.) but if anyone ... the field and the olive and fig trees ... aforementioned or part of it has evicted, so that (the purchaser or person to whom the matter shall pertain) is unable to have, possess and enjoy it rightfully, then whatever the amount of loss shall be through the eviction of it having thus occurred ... For examples of wooden tabulae re-used as a writing surfaces, see Thomas, J. D., Vindolanda: The Latin Writing Tablets, Britannia Monograph Series No 4 London, 1983; for examples of testamentary documents on wooden tablets that have survived, see FIRA III, p.47 for Anthony Silvanus from 142 AD and see BGU VII 1695 for Safinnius Herminus; for another from Transfynydd, North Wales, see Arch. Camb., 150 pp.143-156. See Münchner Beiträge zur antiken Papyrologie und Rechtsgeschichte, Leopold Wenger Institute (LMU Munich); forthcoming. Accompanied by an Art Loss Register certificate. 116 grams, 24 x 20cm (9 1/2 x 8"). From an important London collection since 1975; acquired by a London dealer 1973; formerly the property of Monsieur Alain Sfez, a Belgian collector; acquired by gift from his father Albert Sfez, 1965; acquired by Albert in the early 1950s; accompanied by a copy of a witnessed ownership statement from Alain Sfez. The contract follows standard Roman legal formulae.

Fine condition. A rare and exceptional legal document, providing a fascinating insight into the functioning of Roman society and its economy.