Geniza Lab

Recto: Extract from Ruth 1. Verso: Fragment of a deed signed by Moshe ben Maymun, Damascus, late tenth century. The document includes a description of a piece of property that appears to have been part of a Palestinian-style ketubba and dowry. (Friedman, Jewish Marriage, vol. 2, 370-1 and CUDL) EMS

Fragment of a letter from Nehemya ha-Kohen, the Pumbedita Gaon, to one of the members of the Babylonian community in Fustat, probably the beginning of 963. Asks to renew the connections between them by a gaon’s emissary, probably Shlomo b. Eli b. Tavnai, and by Tuv Aluf and the sons of Aaron ha-Baghdadi. (Gil, Kingdom, vol. 2, #17) VMR

Accounts in Arabic script. Detailing the arrival of various consigmments of Oriental goods, it seems all by caravan. Dated: Jan–March 994 CE (383 AH). Information from Goitein's note cards.

One of four fragments from the court ledger of the Babylonian congregation of Damascus (T-S 16.181, T-S AS 146.66, T-S NS 320.108, and T-S 12.592). Dated: 6 Nisan 4693 AM, which is 933 CE. The first betrothal recorded is between Shemuel b. Avraham the Persian and Khayriyya bt. ʿEzra; the mohar was fixed at 50 gold pieces. At the time of betrothal Samuel gave her 3 good gold pieces, and he will add 17 gold pieces at the time of marriage, and a further 30 in future. This offer was accepted by Manṣūr b. Isaac, the guardian of Khayriyya. Witnessed by Muʿammar b. Yaʿaqov, Benyamin […], Aharon b. R. […], […] b. Shaʾul, Yaʿaqov b. Maymūn, and Avraham ha-Shofet. The second record regards the betrothal of […] b. Yosef with Thanā bt. Furayj ha-Kohen, witnessed by Yaʿaqov b. Natan and Aharon b. ʿEli. (Information from CUDL.)

Beginning of a very old (10th-century?) court document in Hebrew, describing a woman with an unusual name— פליטי bt. [...] known as קפנו—who appears before the court crying and complaining. (Information from Goitein's index cards)

Marriage contract (ketubba) from Damascus, late tenth century. The dowry list includes a short garment of linen decorated with silver and golden threads, two shirts, two velvet covers, and two dyeing vessels. (Information from CUDL)

Recto: Colophon stating that this copy of the 'ketuvim' has been checked completely without any errors. There is a brief disquisition on the canonical raised letters such as the ʿayin in Job 38:15. Underneath, the date of the checking of the manuscript is given as Heshvan 127[2] Seleucid = 4721 AM, which is 960 CE. Verso: Ownership/acquisition note dated Kislev 135[.] Seleucid, which gives the range 1038–48 CE.