Geniza Lab

Arabic poetry, including reference to "a female slave singing with an ʿūd."

Arabic script (VMR)

Arabic script (VMR)

Deed of sale, probably. In Arabic script. Large. Dating: Mamluk-era? Lists the borders of a property. Mentions names such as Fāṭima (the buyer?) and the two sellers ʿĀbidīn b. Ibrāhīm al-Khawlī and Aḥmad b. [...] b. Sālim al-Khawlī. Someone is acting on behalf of their minor children (including Suwaylim and Ṣāliḥa). Needs further examination.

Arabic script (VMR)

Deed of lease for an apartment (ṭabaqa). In Arabic script. Dated: 25 Ṣafar 919 AH = 2 May 1513 CE. Lessee: Manṣūr b. Najīb (b.) Manṣur. Also mentions another merchant Hibatallāh b. Mufaḍḍal. Needs further examination.

Letter, anonymous, saying that a certain Sefaradi gave a sermon in synagogue and failed to mention the gaon. Gil speculatively dates it to 1038, at the beginning of the dispute between Natan b. Avraham and Shelomo b. Yehuda.

Arabic script (VMR)

Letter in Arabic script. Fragment (the lower part is missing, and the right margin may be missing if it existed); the letter continues in the upper margin of recto. Uneven hand, faded ink, and some creases. Begins with a basmala and cursory blessings (yā mawlāy juʿiltu fidāka min kull suʾ aw min kull [...]). Then accusations: "What is this cruelty and neglect of your own family?!" The sender goes on to complain about distress and lack of wheat. He seems to be complaining about not receiving adequate sustenance even as the addressee is spending handsomely on other material causes and charity.

Arabic script (VMR)

Arabic script (VMR)

Arabic script (VMR)

Arabic script (VMR)

Petition, likely Mamluk-era. Needs examination.

Arabic script (VMR)

Letter possibly from Abū l-Maḥāsin. In Arabic script. Dating: probably ca. 13th century. Mentions the ghulām of al-shaykh al-Muhadhdhab. Quite faded. Needs further examination.

State document, fragment, in a chancery hand with long swoopy letters. Describing an issue/conflict associated with merchants (li dhālik(?) al-amr(?) maʿahu min al-tujjār, l. 2). Needs examination.

Arabic script (VMR)

Arabic script (VMR)

State document(s) in Arabic script. Petition with rescript? Fiscal accounts? The lines do not seem to be regular enough for a petition, though it has the petition-like phrase "iḥsānuhu ʿalayhi" in r4. At the bottom of recto, there is a date and ḥasbala and ṣalwala. On verso, references to sums of money and al-tawqīʿ al-muʿaẓẓam ("the mighty rescript"). Needs further examination.