Geniza Lab

Unidentified document in Arabic script. Headed with a basmala.

Tax receipt?

Legal document in Arabic script. Small fragment.

Accounts in Arabic script. Mentions soap, sumac, wood.

Petition? In Arabic script. Small fragment. The phrase "ilā khidmatihī" is legible in the first line.

Letter fragment. In Arabic script, with a single word in Hebrew script (ניסן). Dating: Likely 12th or 13th century. The preserved text is written at unusual angles; maybe these are the margins of the original letter. The sender describes suffering dangers and misfortunes (muqāsāt akhṭār wa-ankād) and then something to do with the government: "...fa-mā waqaʿa fīhi min ṣādif(?) ṭulūʿ al-khizāna(?) al-sulṭāniyya sallamahā Allāh....," then refers to a happy ending (...al-ʿāqiba illā ḥamīda...). The sender reports that ʿAbdallāh arrived safely in Qūṣ ("maḥrūsat Quṣ") on the date of 12 Nisan together with al-Shaykh al-Rayyis. On the other side: "...and with him are letters for al-mawlā al-rashīd b. al-dayyān, and the slave has (=I have) sent with him [...] Indian myrobalan, a quantity of 80 Egyptian raṭls or more... ... Aden. In sum, the slave has imposed on the favor of al-mawlā al-ajall al-rashīd to collect it, and if he (cannot?) do that, may my lord please collect it...." This letter was subsequently reused for Judaeo-Arabic jottings of names of commodities, such as frankincense, costus, wax, pepper, and bamboo chalk.

Fragment of an Arabic letter - needs examination.

Tax receipt?

Unidentified document(s) in Arabic script. Small fragment, very faded.

Unidentified document(s) in Arabic script. Small fragment, damaged and faded. "Seven hundred" appears on one side.

Unidentified document in Arabic script. Looks late.

Unidentified document in Arabic script.

Tax receipt?

Legal document, probably. Small fragment. In Arabic script. The end of the basmala is visible and the name ʿAlī b. al-Khiḍr(?) in l. 3. It is unclear if/how the text on verso is related.

Very small fragment with text in Arabic script.

Small fragment with text in Arabic script, including a basmala and possibly a date at the top.

Official-looking accounts in Arabic script and Greek/Coptic numerals.

Official-looking accounts in Arabic script and Greek/Coptic numerals.

Tax receipt? Extremely faded.

Tax receipt? Very faded.