Geniza Lab

Siddur of Shelomo b. Natan of Sijilmasa. End of chapter 17 on marriage and beginning of chapter 18 on the laws of menstruation. Information from Dan Greenberger via FGP.

Popular literature. Small fragment in rhymed Judaeo-Arabic. In the hand of Nāṣir al-Adīb al-ʿIbrī.

Literary. Likely from Kitāb Adab al-Quḍāh of Hayya b. Sherira Gaon. This section discusses the relationship between the judge and the the people appearing the court, based on Talmudic sources. Also deals with incestuous relationships. Information from Dan Greenberger via FGP.

Fragment mentioning sums of money, evidently an account.

Legal document concerning the lease of a house by ʿAbd al-Bāqī b. Aḥmad the preacher, from Mūsā b. ʿAdī, the Jew, in the district of al-Khawlān in Fustat. Dated: 13 Muharram 424 AH, which is 19 December 1032 CE. (Information from Khan.) The transcription appears below along with the transcriptions for several unrelated documents, which were all glued together to form a large sheet. EMS

Letter from an unknown writer, in Qūṣ, to al-Shaykh al-Asʿad, probably in Fustat. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: 13th century, based on Goitein's assessment. The writer reports on how he has fared trying to sell the rose conserve (ward murabbā). The good quality kind was offered for 18 dirhams for 10 of a certain unit. The writer tried to sell his own for 14 dirhams 'per 10' but found no buyer. Likewise none of the oil (duhn) has sold at all. The writer plans to leave the goods in Qūṣ and return to Fustat. Greetings to Abū l-Khayr and others. Information from Goitein's note card.

Accounts of a slaughterer, written, it seems, by Shelomo b. Eliyyahu. (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, pp. 227, 228, 571)

Small fragment containing large red letters and illumination. Likely a fragment of a ketubba (הכשרה המאו[שרת?).

Recto: Letter or petition from Bū Saʿīd. Written in Arabic script. On verso there are several lines in Judaeo-Arabic, it seems about the woman with the seven martyred sons.

Letter formularies or copies in Hebrew. Written on a bifolium. One of them mentions Palermo, Constantinople, Barqa, and apparently Qayrawān as well; also "so-and-so the captive."

Document in Arabic script. Needs examination.

Legal fragment. In Judaeo-Arabic. Involves Sitthūm, the mother of Abū l-Maḥāsin. Needs examination.

Marriage contract, upper right portion, between Yosef b. Mawhūb and Sittān bt. Mevasser b. Yeshuʿa, written in Tyre, dated (not completely legibly) from the destruction of the Temple, along with blessings and pious wishes for the redemption of Israel. The text is a Hebrew rendition of an Aramaic-Palestinian-style marriage contract. Items in the dowry list include gold coins, earrings and a wristband. The brother of the bride, Yeshuʿa b. Mevasser, acts as her agent and representative. Dating: 11th century. On verso is the beginning of Kitāb ḥudūd al-bulūgh wa-l-idrāk (Treatise on the attainment of majority), possibly by Shemuʾel b. Ḥofni. (Information from CUDL)

Literary fragment. Discussing the halakha of drawing up proper bills of divorce. Information from Dan Greenberger via FGP.

Letter draft from Jerusalem to the community of Palermo. In Hebrew. Dating: 11th-century, from the time of Daniel b. ʿAzarya Gaon (who also bore the title Nasi and seems to be the person alluded to in line 8). The letter deals with the death of an Egyptian merchant and his inheritance. On the other side there is a treatise on the laws of ritual slaughter.

Book of responsa. Joins by Amir Ashur. See FGP and Goitein's note card for bibliographical references.

Legal formulary of Saadya Gaon (Kitāb al-Shahāda wa-l-Wathā'iq). Information from FGP.

Story of Hārūn al-Rashīd. (Information in part from Goitein's index card)

Recipe, alchemical. (Information in part from Goitein's index card)

Legal document or documents. Folio 2 is dated: 1343 Seleucid, which is 1031/32 CE. Folio 1 has several names at the bottom. Needs examination.