Geniza Lab

State document, probably a report to a higher official (not a petition). This is a long strip cut from the right side of the document. At top, "ṣalawāt allāh." Mentions a sum of money (mablagh); [...] b. Abū l-ʿIzz b. Manṣūr; something "al-muʿaẓẓam" (probably a reference to a document, as this is followed by al-muʾarrakh); and taqdīr ʿamal min dīwān al-Ṭ[...]. There may be a damaged date in the last line of the main text block. There are portions of two more lines after a long space, including the phrase "an yakūna." On verso there are Hebrew liturgical pieces with other material interspersed, including several references to the prayer of Ḥanna.

Official report (or just a letter). Probably a draft. Written in 4 columns on a bifolio, with many lines crossed out and some of the margins filled in. Mentions Constantinople and the faqīh Abū Ṭālib on the left page of recto, line 2. The individual sections begin with the word "wa-yunhī" and end with "anhā al-mamlūk dhālika" (e.g. left page of recto, line 8). Needs examination.

Tadhkira (memorandum) from a Fatimid official to another Fatimid official. Tax receipt on verso.

Report from a Fatimid official, probably sent from Tyre. Dating: 1108 or 1109 CE, as it concerns the events in Tripoli following the flight of Fakhr al-Mulk Ibn ʿAmmār (cf. T-S AS 153.176 + T-S AS 153.177) and around the time of the fall of Tripoli to the Crusaders. The document resembles another report to al-Malik al-Afḍal also preserved in the Geniza, T-S 16.114 + T-S 24.57 + T-S AS 11.383 + T-S AS 146.195, edited by Geoffrey Khan (ALAD doc. 111). Among many other matters, it discusses: a request for a Fatimid fleet to come to the aid of Tripoli; how Ibn ʿAmmār was an enemy of the people and of the notables (muqaddamīn) of Tripoli and of the Fatimid state; how the traitorous al-Sharīf al-ʿArīḍī had been sending Ibn ʿAmmār state secrets (akhbār al-dawla) until Sayf al-Mulk b. ʿAllūn ordered the former to be detained; how a boat containing twenty-two men and women arrived from Crusader-ruled ʿAkkā (Acre) after letting themselves into the city over its walls by rope; how those newcomers report that Muhannad b. Ghawth had returned to Jabal ʿĀmil(a) and Kafr Birʿim, where he now serves the Franks and lived among them; a blood feud between Banū Ḥaddāthā (حداثا in present-day Lebanon) and the neighboring Banū Shabakhtān, a disruption that the authorities in the sender’s location had to manage; and something to do with army regiments (al-muwallada and al-sūd, "the blacks"), taxes, and Franks. Needs further examination. On verso there is a Hebrew prayer (the second baqqasha of Seʿadya Gaon). T-S NS 125.135 is a join for the prayer on verso but not for the report on recto. There are still several fragments missing. Joins: Alan Elbaum. ASE. Description from PGPID 20866: Recto: Hebrew prayer Verso: Arabic document or letter - needs examination.

State document, Fatimid period. Petition or report to a vizier (beginning only), possibly under al-ʿAḍid (see line 4, where the blessing uses the verb ʿaḍada; thanks to Lara Balaa for this observation). (MR)