Geniza Lab

Deed of release. Location: Fustat. Dated: 1277 Seleucid, which is 965/66 CE. Granted by Natan b. Yaʿaqov b. Shaʿbūn (שעבון) to Ḥasan b. ʿEli ha-Kohen, declaring that he has no remaining claims on the estate of the late Salmān or on Ḥasan b. ʿEli. Witnessed by Shelomo b. Saʿīd ha-Kohen (probably also the scribe), Yosef b. Ḥasan and Simḥa b. Yefet. (Information in part from CUDL and Goitein's index card.)

Letter/petition from a woman to Yakhin Rosh ha-Qehillot. In the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe. She asks for help for her son, who suffers in prison due to cold weather and mistreatment. (Information from Goitein's note card.) Join: Oded Zinger.

The very end of a legal document, consisting of just a few signatures: Yaʿir b. Isaac, Sahl b. Faraj, Yefet b. Shemuʾel, and Abraham b. Joseph. (Information from CUDL)

Deed fragment in which 'the people of Haifa's fortress' are mentioned, 11th century. CUDL description: Recto: the very beginning of a legal document referring to ‘the people of the Fortress of Haifa’, with only a partial date preserved. Verso: two lines, either a title or a short book-list: משלי ואיוב לגאון ז״ל, and underneath in a smaller script וטומאה וטוהרה. (Information from CUDL)

Ketubba, with very little text preserved, mentioning the trousseau items. Witnessed by Shemuʾel ha-Levi b. Elʿazar. (Information from CUDL)

Letter addressed to Yeshuʿa b. Shabbetay. Fragment: upper part of recto. The sender’s name is not preserved. Very little non-formulaic content is preserved. The sender reports that his mother is worried about something (presumably the well-being of the addressee). (Information in part from CUDL)

Recto: legal document referring to an agreement between [... b.] Meshullam and his wife Maymūna, possibly concerning a dowry. Signed by Abraham b. Isaac ha-Talmid and Ṣedaqa ha-Kohen b. David. There is a diagram in the right margin. Ca. second half of the 11th century. Verso: Arabic and Hebrew jottings and a drawing. (Information from CUDL)

Recto: the end of a calligraphically-written letter with many signatories, including Sahl b. Mevasser and ʿAmram b. Shabbat. Possibly a letter of introduction, but only the closing blessings are preserved. Verso: Hebrew text, very badly worn and faded. There are many biblical allusions and references to Egypt. Possibly a sermon. (Information from CUDL)

Recto: end of a legal document concerning an inheritance and the sum of four dirhams, signed by Joseph ha-Kohen b. Ab[raham]. 11th century or earlier. Verso: piyyuṭim, the second introduced with אחר (‘another one’). (Information from CUDL)

Recto: sermon or ethical treatise, quoting many biblical sources, continued on verso. Verso: form of a divorce deed (geṭ) with spaces left for the names, with Judaeo-Arabic interlinear text. (Information from CUDL)

Marriage contract (ketubba). Bride: Nājiya bt. Hiba. Fragment (upper right corner). On verso there is a rhymed poem of praise for a certain person, with the acrostic ‘... b. Isaac’, mentioning the names Isaac and Ezekiel. (Information from CUDL)

Part of a rhymed letter. In the top right-hand corner is a note of the name Shemarya the teacher. (Information from CUDL)

Recto: draft of a poem in honour of Yefet, with pen trials. Verso: various calendrical texts on the moladot, with jottings and an unidentified text in Arabic script. (Information from CUDL.)

Recto: part of a rhymed letter. Verso: accounts with Coptic numerals. (Information from CUDL)

Part of a rhymed letter addressed to an individual. (Information from CUDL)

Recto: part of a rhymed letter mentioning Yehoshuaʿ (אדוני אבי ריוח והחבר יהושוע). Verso: text in Arabic. (Information from CUDL)

Poem of marriage congratulations, mentioning Ḥananya. The words ‘Mar Yefet’ are written above the name Ḥananya, throughout the poem. (Information from CUDL)

Recto: part of a rhymed letter to Ṣedaqa b. Joseph (אבי עזר צדקה בנו יוסף זקן כל הקהלה), with marginal jottings in Hebrew and Arabic. Verso: jottings in Hebrew and Arabic. (Information from CUDL)

Marriage congratulations, beginning with a quote from Ruth 4:11-12, and mentioning Judah ha-Nasi. (Information from CUDL)

Part of a formulary for excommunication, beginning with an omen list determining fates according to the stars (sun, moon, Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn), followed by an alphabetic list of biblical curses, missing verses beginning with daleṯ, yod, nun, pe and ṣade. Quotes from Psalms 35:8, Job 18:5, Proverbs 15:19, Jeremiah 18:22, Proverbs 24:22, Job 15:31, 20:6-7, Psalms 109:12, Job 8:18, 18:6, 20:17, 21:19, 27:14, 20:21-22, 15:32, 20:10, Psalms 109:7, Job 18:5, Proverbs 5:23, Psalms 109:17-18, 10, Job 27:22, 18:17, 20:15, 18:10, 20:8, 26, 21:30, 20:4, 18:19, 15:30, 29, 18:16, 20:18, 27:15, 18:11, 20:9, 11, 27:19, 18:20, 8:12, 15:21, 20:16, 27:20, Psalms 109:19 and Job 18:15. (Information from CUDL)