Geniza Lab

Account of building operations ca. 1200. Fragment of a leaf, upper left part, in a calligraphic hand. It itemizes mainly work in clay, and the work of a mason. The period covered in the account as preserved is less than a week, from Monday to Thursday. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 391 #104)

Account of the qodesh, ca. 1220. A double leaf of a notebook. The list contains mainly expenditures, mostly for the synagogues and for scholars and officials. Among them are beadles, including the beadle of the synagogue of Dammuh. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 423 #126). Four pages of drafts of communal accounts, all crossed out [vertical and diagonal strokes], which was usually done after a clean copy was made. Page one is almost entirely identical with the T-S NS J251. The other pages are highly interesting for they contain many instructions by the Nagid Abraham Maimonides showing administrative practices in times of severe hardship. For instance, a collection, totaling 30 dirhems had been promised to a young Maghrebi, for which a notable had stood security and paid to the foreigner. When only 17 dirhems came in, the Nagid ordered 13 dirhems taken from a collection for a man from Damira, Egypt, and turned over to that notable. The situation probably was that the traveler from the Maghreb had to leave, while the man from Damira could wait, and people who had stood security should get their money back immediately, otherwise no one would be found in the future to undertake that task about which we read so much in court records.

Detailed accounts in Judaeo-Arabic, mentioning Mardūk, brazilwood, chebulic myrobalan, and may other things.

See PGP 20645

Bill of lading for the brothers Barhun and Nissim Tahirti. (S. D. Goitein, Mediterranean Society, 5:336, 599) EMS

Expenditure of 427 1/2 bakhaya dirhams on clothing for communal officials, on payment of a balance due for the distribution of wheat and other items. Superscribed: 'Collected 427 1/2. The expenditure entirely in bakhaya' (= dirhams bearing the inscription bkh). The lists on verso (see App. C 87) was written by Shelomo b. Eliyyahu (ca. 1220). (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, p. 449, App. B 38 [dated 1210-1225]).

Accounts in Arabic script. There is also an addendum to the document on the recto. (Information in part from Goitein, Med Soc II, p. 435 (Appendix A, #174)) ASE

Accounts in Arabic script.