Nag Hammadi library

A collection of fourth-century Coptic codices discovered near Nag Hammadi, Egypt, in 1945. Its texts preserve early Christian, Gnostic, Hermetic, and other writings, many previously known only through hostile accounts or later references.

Coptic language: The latest historical stage of the Egyptian language, written chiefly with the Greek alphabet and additional signs. The codices are written in Coptic, making its language central to their study.
Gospel of Thomas: A collection of 114 sayings attributed to Jesus, preserved in a complete Coptic manuscript and in Greek fragments. It is the library’s best-known sayings gospel and has prompted debate about early Jesus traditions.
Nag Hammadi: A town in Upper Egypt near the site where the Nag Hammadi codices were discovered. The modern name of the collection comes from this nearby town.
Biblical canon: The collection of books a religious community recognizes as authoritative scripture. The codices provide evidence for writings and traditions excluded from the eventual Christian canon.
Codex: A book made of bound pages, distinct from a scroll. The library survives as bound manuscripts rather than as a single scroll.
Apocryphon of John: A revelatory Christian text describing the origin of the world and the divine realm through a dialogue with Jesus. Its elaborate account of creation makes it a major witness to Sethian thought.
Muhammad Ali al-Samman: An Egyptian villager who reported finding the codices near Nag Hammadi in 1945. His account places the discovery within a specific local setting.
Sethianism: An ancient religious movement whose myths often center on Seth and a transcendent divine realm. Several texts helped scholars reconstruct this movement from primary sources.
Gnosticism: A modern scholarly umbrella term for ancient religious movements emphasizing salvific knowledge and often a transcendent divine realm. Several texts became key evidence for movements commonly grouped under this label.
Gospel of Philip: A collection of Christian theological reflections, sayings, and ritual interpretations preserved in Coptic. Its passages on sacraments and symbolic language illustrate the collection’s theological diversity.

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