Geniza Lab

Accounts, dated October 1230 CE, in the hand of Shelomo b. Eliyyahu, referring to a cellar (maṭmūra) in his father’s house with 117 jugs of wine. Most of the wines are described as ‘crossbred’ (muwallad), and just 10 are described as ‘real wine’ (khamr). (Information from CUDL.) See also DK 201.2.

Account of the qodesh, ca. 1165. A detailed accounting written in the hand of Judge Mevorakh b. Natan. The first part contains different expenditures for the maintenance of the buildings and various other expenditures, such as gifts to Muslim officials. The second part contains the final part of an accounting of revenue for six months; the sum paid to the parnas as a collection fee is also mentioned. The account is said to have been made in the presence of the head of the yeshiva, Nataniel b. Moshe, and elders. Dated Kislev 1476 of the Seleucid Era (= 1165). (Information from CUDL and Gil, Documents, pp. 300 #67)

Account of the Qodesh: building expenditures and revenue from rent, ca. 1039. This record contains details about sums of rent collected from "the Estate of the Synagogue of the Palestinians" for A.H. 429 and 430. It was written at the end of 1039. The revenue list mentions the first period during which Dar Qutayt was inhabited whereas before it had been empty. The building expenditures refer in part to the synagogue. The three parts of the document have found their way into three different boxes of the Taylor-Schechter Collection. Written in the hand of Yefet b. David b. Shekhanya. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 167 #11)

Record of the activities of the qodesh at the end of the 10th and the first half of the 11th century, up to 1034 CE. Written ca. 1040 CE. This record which was intended for public display, lists the achievements of the qodesh, as far as the properties dedicated to the Synagogue of the Palestinians are concerned. For each stage the names of the parnasim who were in charge of the qodesh are listed. At the end of the 10th century apparently only two or three compounds comprised the real estate dedicated to the Synagogue of the Palestinians. During the seven administrations of parnasim listed in this record, new compounds, apartments, and shops were added either by purchase or by construction, made possible by the revenue from the earlier ones. Several major repairs of the extant buildings and also repairs and improvements in the synagogue are listed. The main part of the document deals with the period of the persecuations under al-Hakim. The synagogues were destroyed and the materials they were made of sold by the Muslim authorities. Later, the period of reconstruction is recorded. The concluding part stresses the custom of giving full publicity to the accounts of the qodesh; also, the duty of any dissatisfied person to file his claims before the court, otherwise risking excommunication. Gil includes ENA 2738.1 as part of this join, even though it is a distinct manuscript containing a draft of the document, of which T-S Ar.18(1).35 + T-S 20.96 is an improved copy. The first word in line 1 of ENA 2738.1 is the last one in line 19 of T-S 20.96. All three fragments are in the hand of hazzan Yefet b. David b. Shekhanya (according to Gil). ENA 2738.1 may actually be in the hand of Efrayim b. Shemarya. (Information from CUDL and Gil, Documents, pp. 136-137 #3)

Accounts in Hebrew, late.

Accounts in Judaeo-Arabic and Greek/Coptic numerals. Dating: Likely Mamluk-era.

Brief accounts in Judaeo-Arabic, including for the tailoring of garments.

Probably accounts in Judaeo-Arabic, quite faded.

Accounts in Judaeo-Arabic and Arabic, in more than one hand. Late? Mentions Ibrāhīmiyya as a type of currency.

Accounts in Judaeo-Arabic and the address for the letter on the recto.

Account of building operations ca. 1240. A double leaf taken from a notebook, this document is written in Arabic script. Work on a dome is mentioned, and on verandas. Then comes the installation of a pipe and then a qa'a in which the main work is on the cieling and drainage system. A staircase made of palm trees is installed and fixed with mortar made of gypsum. Different kinds of word and nails are mention in connection with the installation of the qa'a doors. Extensive paving work is also detailed. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 457 #137)

See PGP 20645

Account, day-to-day, of the income of a textile store. Location: Fustat. Dating: Jumada I and II 393 AH, which corresponds to April 1003 CE. After the lapse of 2.5 weeks or so, the junior partner or employee changed the silver received into gold and handed it over to the senior partner or employer. Exchange rate: 245 dirhams = 6.5 dinars (left column, line 16) and, two weeks later, 187.5 dirhems = 5 dinars (left column, line 32). (Information from Mediterranean Society, I, p. 369.) Note that the scribe uses a variant of the aleph-lamed ligature (ﭏ) to represent 1/2 dirham.

Accounts in Judaeo-Arabic.

Accounts in Judaeo-Arabic, probably late.

Accounts in Judaeo-Arabic.

Accounts in Judaeo-Arabic.

Accounts involving 30 ratls of honey. ASE.

Accounts in Judaeo-Arabic, including for medicinal items such as syrups (sharāb) and oxymel (sakanjabīn). ASE.

See PGP 20645