Geniza Lab

Recto (secondary use): Order from ʿĀzim al-Bayyāʿ (the grocer) to hand over 1/2 wayba of rice to the bearer of the note. Headed by a basmala. Underneath there is a taṣliya and above that (in a different hand) an ʿalāma (al-ḥamdu lillāh waḥdah). The layout is somewhat reminiscent of state receipts, which is not necessarily surprising as everyday receipts and documents had similar layouts. YU, MR, ASE.

Order of endive seed (bizr hindibā') and purslane seed (bizr rijla) and unripe dates (busr) and sugar from al-Shaykh al-Makīn. On verso there is a very elaborate draft of the beginning of a letter addressed to Abū l-Majd. (Information in part from Goitein's index card.)

Order in Arabic script. Abū l-Ḥasan is to pay or hand over two dinars, 1 qirat, and 2 ḥabbas of "ḥawāʾij."

Recto: Small fragment (2 lines) from an official report. Needs examination for content. Verso: The report was torn and reused for an order of a half-ounce of saffron (worth 1 dinar?) from ʿArīf al-ʿAṭṭār (or possibly: "the ʿarīf/head of the ʿaṭṭārīn"). Signed: al-Malik al-Ṣāliḥ = Ṭalāʾiʿ b. Ruzzīk (the Fatimid vizier, 1154–61). Written on Monday, the 16th of Jumādā II. The signature and date are written in a different hand than the main text. (Information in part from محمد على ابو حمزة, Marina Rustow, Boris Liebrenz, and Tamer el-Leithy.) ASE

Informal note from Faraj Allāh to al-Shaykh al-Ṣafiyy. In Judaeo-Arabic. Fragment: only the right side is preserved. The addressee is asked to give something to the bearer; 50 dirhams are mentioned.

Informal note from Abū Naṣr to Menaḥem. In Arabic script. It seems that the sender is urgently ordering medicinal powder for dysentery (safūf al-zaḥīr) and other materia medica "for we need them."

Recto: Letter fragment in Judaeo-Arabic. Mentions R. Yeshuʿa and instructions about taking a medicinal syrup. Verso: Order in Arabic script instructing the addressee to give the bearer something involving violets (banafsaj). Underneath there is the respectful opening of a letter in Judaeo-Arabic (in the hand of Shelomo b. Eliyyahu? Torn up and reused for this order?). (Information in part from CUDL)

Verso: Order. Probably in the hand of Shelomo b. Eliyyahu (dating: early 13th century). (On recto there is the upper left corner of a letter, also in his handwriting, with part of his name at the top.) He tells Abū l-Ḥasan to give 'the boy' rose conserve, 1 oz; myrtle rob, 1 oz., and quince rob, 1 oz.

One side: Order from Shelomo b. Eliyyahu addressed to Abū l-Ḥasan. In Judaeo-Arabic. Abū l-Ḥasan is to give the bearer 1/4 raṭl sour pomegranate rubb (condensed juice); 1/4 raṭl apple rubb; 1/4 raṭl of something barley-based. Other side: Medical prescription in Arabic script. Begins "God is the one who cures in His mercy." Uses chicory seeds, borage, sandalwood, licorice, and bamboo chalk. ASE