Geniza Lab

Legal document. Location: Fustat. Dated: middle third of Iyyar 1414 Seleucid, which is 1103 CE. Unsigned but complete document on vellum, in which a court, as warden of the two minor orphans of Shemuel b. Yefet, permits to use 50 dinars out of the 74 dinars left to them, for urgent repairs of a house in in the alley of מכיל, Old Cairo, left to them also. The money is held by Abū l-Faḍl al-Sharābī Shela b. Elʿazar. (Information from Goitein’s index card)

Interesting accounts in Judaeo-Arabic for a construction project—carpenters for installing the door, acacia wood for the door, nails, gypsum, tiles/paving stones, the wage of the tile-layers, marble, sand, etc. Various names are mentioned as well, including al-Shaykh al-Asʿad

Recto: Letter from an unidentified distinguished man to a judge or communal leader. In Judaeo-Arabic. The sender's hand might be known (resembles T-S Misc.28.88, another "mice ate my stuff" letter). Dated: Thursday, 29 Tishrei [4849] AM, which is 1088 CE. But there is a difficulty with this precise date, because 29 Tishrei was actually a Tuesday and because a note on verso states that the letter was received "in the first decade of Tishrei." Based in part on the information from verso, we can deduce that the letter concerns a dispute over a dilapidated wall between the sender's property and that of his neighbor Abū Saʿd. The sender is distressed because some of his key evidence "was in the document which was eaten by the mice." He asks the addressee to try to dig up any documentation that will support his case. His legal adversary has refused to accept testimony except from certified trustworthy witnesses (al-thiqāt). The sender complains about a long history of having to sink money into this house on account of his neighbor. He asks the addressee to treat the house just as he would treat his own house and not to neglect this matter. At the end, he briefly mentions other business matter, including an unpaid suftaja. Verso: The response from two judges, Yeshuʿa b. Avraham and [Sal?]mān b. Elʿazar. They have drawn a box around the response and signed their names at the top of the note. Outside of the box, there appears the date already mentioned: first decade of Tishrei 4349 AM, which is 1088 CE. They address the original sender with respectful terms and explain that the dilapidated wall must be fixed. Its benefit is shared between the two houses, while its base is located on the ground owned by Abū Saʿd. They do not explain the legal consequences of these facts; maybe they simply consulted the court's own records and are providing factual evidence to be used in the ongoing litigation. (Information in part from Goitein's index card.) ASE

Accounts in Judaeo-Arabic. Building expenses over six days. "Same hand as the previous document." For Dār al-Maqādisa and Dār b. Pineḥas. Expenses include: refuse removal; transport of materials; construction; supervision; nails; plaster; baskets; and more. Information from FGP.

Accounts in Judaeo-Arabic. Expenses for construction and repairs; mentioning a carpenter several times.

Letter in Judaeo-Arabic. Elegant hand. Mentions the town of Ṭanān and deals with the construction of a dike (jisr) and an irrigation canal (turʿa); the addressee is to go and obtain for this purpose the cattle (abqār) and dredging tools (jarārīf: see Rapoport, "Irrigation in the Medieval Islamic Fayyum," p. 24, and Borsch, Stuart (2014) "Plague Depopulation and Irrigation Decay in Medieval Egypt," The Medieval Globe: Vol. 1 : No. 1, p. 139). ASE.

Letter from Sitt Dhahab, in an unknown location, to Abū Naṣr b. Karīm, in Qāʿat al-Fāḍil, Fustat. She refers to herself as his daughter. Goitein suggests that he is her elder brother, although in that case it might be odd for a sister to refer to "the house of your brother" rather than "our brother." She reports that Abū l-Faraj b. al-Rayyis (Judge Elijah?) has arrived, with 100 dirhams for them. He is interested in buying wheat. She confirms that several consignments have arrived, including the balālīn (?), a frying pan (ṭājin), a robe (shuqqa), yarn (ghazal), and silk in various forms. She suggests that he send silver to Sitt Iftikhār, who has been seriously ill ("she has not lifted her head") already two months. She uses the word "iltaha'at" (bi-ruḥihā wa-maraḍihā) to describe Sitt Iftikhār; this word also appears in the context of distress in CUL Or.1081 J5 and possibly T-S 10J12.14. It might correspond to التهى, meaning "to be occupied with oneself" (Dozy). She reports on the sale of a female slave for 10 dinars, but this deal may have fallen apart: when "the man" came to fetch her price, "they returned to your brother's house, and they said they wouldn't sell her," and the female slave herself had to be bound with ropes. She then gives an update on the door for the vestibule (kumm). Abū l-Surūr bought one, but it is not suitable. Another worker came and took its measurements and is interested in doing the work. As for the old door of iron, Ḥusām took it down, and Salīm the carpenter didn't lift a finger to help. She urges the addressee to be diligent in forwarding the letters of Abū l-Maʿālī, because his mother and grandmother (or: mother and wife) are worried about him. She urges him to not forget to give an update on Najm in each of his letters, because when he does not, everyone is worried. The address is in both Judaeo-Arabic and Arabic. Information in part from Goitein's note card. ASE.

Letter from a certain Simḥa, who was in charge of a building. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: ca. 1200 CE. He reports that the upper floor (the one adjacent to the house of some Christians in a Jewish communal building) was restored for a cost of 30 dinars, while the ground floor beneath it was completely occupied, bringing revenue. He briefly reports on somebody who was housebound with a sickness, but who returned to week this week (v17–18). Information in part from Med Soc, IV, pp. 101, 375)

Letter from Simḥa Kohen, probably in Alexandria, to Abū l-Manṣūr. Dating: ca. 1205 CE. The writer complains about the extortions of a tax farmer who claimed that many people had executed the transfers of the ownership of their houses before a Jewish court without registering them with the government. (Information from Mediterranean Society, IV, pp. 90, 365). See also Goitein notes and index card linked below.

Construction accounts in Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: Late, probably 17th–19th century. Neatly written and with many details. Some of the work is for a wind catcher (bādhanj). Also mentions ashes and quṣrumīl/kosromel/קוצרומיל/قصرميل = a kind of mortar made from sand and broken tiles and ashes.

Recto: Letter in Judaeo-Arabic. The writer describes coming to a certain place and finding its synagogue in a dangerous state of disrepair and its columns collapsing. He insisted that it needed to be rebuilt and offered his services. A person named Abū l-Faraj al-Levi features in the story. Verso: Letter in Judaeo-Arabic; unclear whether it is related to recto. The writer describes a certain Abū l-Faraj pleading for mercy from an amīr, who ultimately granted mercy. The writer cites Ezra 6:11 at this point. He goes on to describe a group of people harassing his group with 'שנאות ורשעות.' Needs examination.

Construction accounts in Arabic script and Greek/Coptic numerals. Mentions plaster, pebbles, clay, porters, bricks, wood. Mentions people such as Abū Sahl

Detailed accounts for construction expenses. In Judaeo-Arabic. There may be more such documents from the same scribe in Gil, Pious Foundations.