Two irregularly sized papyrus fragments, one of which has been cut into two pieces. The upper right fragment measures, at its largest, 5 × 2⅞ inches (13 × 7 cm). The L-shaped fragment (which has been cut in two) measures, at its largest, 10¾ × 6½ inches (27 × 17 cm). Shortly after JS and others acquired the papyri in July 1835, the two fragments were pasted onto a paper backing, apparently to preserve them. The L-shaped fragment was pasted on the bottom and left of the paper backing and the other fragment on the upper right of the paper backing. This nineteenth-century paper backing measures 11½–10⅝ × 8 inches (29–27 × 20 cm). The top edge of the backing has remnants of an inked character, perhaps a 2, similar to what is found on Fragment of Book of Breathing for Horos–B. Residue from glue on the backing indicates that smaller scraps of papyrus were also mounted to the backing and then lost. A small scrap of newsprint—containing the text “yanc◊ as” and a vertical line serving as a column marker—is adhered to the edge of the upper portion of the L-shaped fragment. At an unknown time, the paper backing holding two fragments was cut roughly in half horizontally, creating two pieces. The top half, known to scholars as fragment VII, contains the top portion of the L-shaped fragment and the complete upper right fragment, which are both attached to a backing now measuring 6 × 6 inches (15 × 15 cm). Given the unequal size of the top and bottom halves of the original backing, it is possible additional papyrus fragments were pasted to the upper half of the paper backing. The top portion of the L-shaped fragment now measures 5 × 3 inches (13 × 8 cm) at its largest, and the bottom portion, known to scholars as fragment VIII, now measures 5¾ × 6½ inches (15 × 17 cm) at its largest. The backing for the bottom portion of the L-shaped fragment measures 5½–4⅝ × 8 inches (14–12 × 20 cm). The bottom edge of the bottom piece bears evidence of having been partially cut with a razor or other sharp edge. Written in graphite on the verso of the backing are the numbers 6 and 5. These numbers roughly correspond to the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art accession numbers for these fragments.

For provenance of the papyri, see Source Note for Fragment of Book of Breathing for Horos–A, between 238 and ca. 153 bc.