Geniza Lab

Letter from Yehuda b. Moshe ibn Sighmār, in Alexandria, to ʿEli ha-Kohen b. Yaḥyā (aka Ḥayyim) the parnas, in Fustat. Yehuda explains the problems he has been having collecting monies owed him by a 'partner,' Abū Isḥāq Avraham b. Faraj al-Raḥbī, having to do with the sale of a valuable piece of ambergris. He has heard that Abū Isḥāq is now in Fustat, but he cannot come in person due to an eye disease (recto, margin, ll. 1–2). He requests that ʿEli represent him in litigation against that person. He has enclosed a power of attorney with his letter. Ed. Cohen, Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient, 56 (2013), pp. 218–63. Also published by Moshe Gil, Kingdom, IV, #622 (pp. 58–66). See also the power of attorney dated 1085 CE, Bodl. MS heb. c 28/11, published in both publications. See also Goitein's note card #27115. ASE.

Letter from Simḥūn b. Dāwūd ibn al-Siqillī (Qayrawān) to Yosef b. Yaʿaqov b. ʿAwkal (Fustat). The letter deals with a conflict between the sender and the recipient over a consignment of brazilwood, which Simḥūn b. Daʿūd sent to Spain against the instructions of Yosef b. ʿAwkal. This caused a delay in payments and a break of contact between the two. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 2, p. 644.)

Accounts of a merchant. Mentioning goods such as pepper (filfil), oil (dihn), cumin (kammūn), bitumen (qifār), brazilwood (baqqam), sugar and syrup (sukkar wa-sharāb). Mentioning names such as Abū Naṣr, Abū 'Alī, al-Shaykh al-Itrābulsi, and Abū l-Qāsim. ASE.

Mercantile letter in Judaeo-Arabic. The sender and addressee are unknown. Dating: Probably 11th century. Mentions people such as Abū Yaʿaqov the brother of Tamra(?); a poor old man (shaykh suʿlūk); Ibn al-Fakkāh. Mentions goods such as: pepper, cinnamon, brazilwood, wheat, oil, and Kirmānī indigo. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 4, #835.) VMR