Geniza Lab

Letters. Among the small handful of Judaeo-Arabic papyri. Labeled "papyrus XI" (for recto) and "papyrus XII" (for verso) in the classification of Blau and Hopkins. Dating: Probably 9th century or earlier. Unlikely to have come from the Cairo Geniza; it is possible that most or all of these documents derive from a commercial circle in Ushmūn. Recto: Very damaged business letter, which mentions Bint Shuqayr, four dinars, oil, and an Abū Yaʿqūb. Verso: Letter from Yiṣḥaq b. Avraham to Abū ʿAlī Ḥasan b. ʿUbayd. Concerning the fleeing of villagers from an unspecified threat. (Information from Blau and Hopkins.) NB: The document does not appear to be digitized on the University of Michigan papyrological information system, but, "A description and the picture of the papyrus is in C. Sirat, Les papyrus en caracteres hebraiques trouves en Egypte, Editions du centre national de la recherche scientifique, Paris 1985, p. 105 and planche 30 and 31." Also, there may be Goitein notes on this fragment which have not yet been attached to this record.