Geniza Lab

Account register of Yiṣḥaq b. Yeḥiel, a dealer in carpets (tappeti = טפיטי, טאפיטי) as well as numerous other luxury commodities (nuts, drugs/perfumes, sugar from Crete, books, and more). In Hebrew, with many words in Judaeo-Italian and several phrases in Yiddish. Notably, there does not appear to be any Judaeo-Arabic. Location: Probably Fustat/Cairo (Miṣrayim). 3 bifolia. Dated: spring of 5310 AM, which is 1550 CE. Currencies: peraḥim, muayyadi (medin). The merchant makes purchases from various craftsmen (חרשים) in places like Venice, קאפרה, and אכיין. Very rich with details on 16th-century trans-Mediterranean trade, networks of merchants, demand for specific books, and more. The identification of the merchant's name is based on a letter that he sent earlier in the year 5310 AM (fall of 1549 CE): Moss. IIIa,9 + T-S AS 212.54–55 + T-S AS 214.40. Information in part from Avraham David's publications.