Evidentiary Stratification and Structural Underdetermination in Old Kingdom Administrative Texts: The Wadi al-Jarf Papyri as Case Study

Administrative texts of the Old Kingdom are structurally concise, operational, and context-dependent documents. Their semantic economy and formulaic character often render them resistant to expansive historical reconstruction unless supported by independent evidence. Among such texts, the Wadi al-Jarf papyri—particularly the so-called Diary of Merer—have assumed a central role in discussions concerning the administration of Khufu and the logistics associated with Akhet-Khufu.

This study does not challenge the authenticity, dating, or philological validity of the corpus. Rather, it addresses a methodological issue: the degree to which interpretations derived from administrative records may extend beyond the level of direct textual attestation.

The paper introduces an evidentiary stratification model designed to distinguish between (L0) direct textual attestation, (L1) contextual inference, (L2) functional projection, and (L3) broader narrative reconstruction. Applying this framework to the Wadi al-Jarf papyri demonstrates that while the texts provide strong evidence for organized logistical operations within Khufu’s administration, their evidentiary scope regarding specific architectural phases or construction functions remains inferential rather than explicit.

Beyond the case study, the proposed model offers a transferable methodological tool for the interpretation of Old Kingdom administrative corpora more generally. By formalizing levels of inference and encouraging inferential transparency, this approach aims to refine evidentiary standards in the historiography of early Egyptian state organization without contesting established archaeological interpretations.