Geniza Lab

Record of a deposition regarding donation of parts of a compound, ca. 1160. Sitt al-Riyad, al-Na'iha, who owns seven qirats of a compound, donates a third of her part to the Karaites and a little less than that (7.5 qirats) to the Rabbanites. This is recorded on the left part of a leaf detached from a notebook, apparently belonging to a 'adl, a "righteous witness," or notary. Three witnesses, inclusive of the writer, are mentioned at the beginning, but their signatures are not preserved. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 294 #63.) See also Goitein, Med Soc II, Appendix A, #164.

Marriage contract between a Rabbanite man Khalfā b. Saʿūd, son of Farajallah b. Nafīs and a divorced Rabbanite woman Fāṭima. The marriage was commemorated upon the agreed sum of 7 dīnārs of Sulṭānī al-jadīd and 400 half Sūlaimānī dirhams.

Record and validation of a deposition regarding a compound partly dedicated to the synagogues, ca. 1047. A deposition given by four witnesses, prominent persons, confrims the fact that one sixth of a compound has been dedicated to the two synagogues of the Rabbanite Jews in Fustat, those of the Palestinians and of the Babylonians. The validation of the document and the authentication of the signatures take place before the two courts of the two congregations. The two heads of the courts, Sahlan b. Abraham and Efrayim b. Shemarya, sign the validation. The document bears two dates, 4 Iyyar and 2 Kislev; apparently the validation took place seven months after the deposition was first recorded. (Infromation from Gil, Documents, pp. 151 #7)

Legal document. Transfer of money to the poor of Jerusalem, ca. 1085. Shelomo b. Hayyim, one of the leaders of the Palestinian Jews, had forwarded 20 dinars to the Rabbanite Jews of Jerusalem. He attests having gotten his money back from those in charge of the compound known as Dar al-maqadisa in Fustat, dedicated to the poor of Jerusalem. The money was returned out of the rent collected from the tenants of the compound. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 212 #32)

Record of a marriage contract mentioning a marriage gift of 5 dinars and payment of 10 dinars at termination of the marriage. The words of the first and third lines are written in very large letters. Drafted in Fustat ca. 1100-1138. (Information from Mediterranean Society, III, p. 397)

Shelomo b. Avraham divorces Yuman (?) the daughter of Avraham. Signed by Avraham b. Yiṣḥaq and Hillel b. Eli. Dated Kislev,1391/October 1079. (Information from Goitein's index cards)

Fragment of a legal document in which Saadya b. Shelomo is appointed as a power of attorney by Abu Sa'd. (Information from Goitein's index cards)

Divorce document of Sitt al-Fakhr bat Berakhot (husband's name not preserved). Signed by Moshe b. Sadoq and Moshe b. Yehuda. (Information from Goitein's index cards)