Geniza Lab

Account book of Yeshua b. Ismail al-Makhmuri, containing payment orders. Dated ca. 1048. (Information from Gil)

Recto: Account in Arabic script, of unknown content. Torn and reused for a letter (see separate record).

List of belongings of the deceased Abu Ali b. al-Raqqi, which were left behind and sent from the Maghreb to Alexandria. (Information from Mediterranean Society, IV, pp. 170, 403)

Account, dated 1516 (ttqkb = 922, i.e. 1516 CE), in Hebrew, mentioning a khizana, treasury, seemingly a box in which all revenue was deposited and from which all expenditure was made. Nothing like this appears in documents from the classical Geniza period, which, Goitein writes, reflects 'the cumbersome system of financing the social services [which] had its source partly in the general technical imperfections of medieval administrations. The accumulation of public funds in one treasury was to some extent avoided in order to preserve them from the overreaching of rapacious government officials.' Written in the Hebrew language, and the writer, although using that Arabic word and dating according to Muslim months, apparently was a European, to judge from his spelling of Arabic names. (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, p. 101 [date given on p. 543]). Perhaps better explained by the non-corporate nature of the community in those centuries, at least. This late document may reflect the custom of Jews from Europe, who were used to a more corporate form of organization. One side: assets (=left in the khizana); other side, payments (=I gave to), with recorded total of one thousand 186 dr. (dirhams) (Information from Cohen)

Accounts. Perhaps in the hand of one of Ben Yijū’s workers, but not his handwriting. Similar to India Book III 19 (shelfmark CUL Or.1080 J95). The account was clearly written in India, as the prices are given in Indian coinage, Kūlamī fīlīs, i.e., from the famous port city Quilon on the Malabar Coast, and fanam. The writer's anonymous associate, whose account is registered here, was charged for the receipt of various commodities, including both Indian products and items usually imported for personal use from Yemen and the West. He must have been a Yemeni or from elsewhere in the West, who was staying in India. Commodities: civet, cinnabar, a copper pot, glass vessels, raisins, a lamp (or Indian horse chestnut? what is written is "qandalī"), sugar, honey, myrrh, storax, and Egyptian sugar. One of the important pieces of information to emerge from this document (assuming the merchant was careful with his sums) is that the fanam was not precisely a quarter of a fīlī but rather slightly less: the ratio is 0.236 in this document. (Information from India Book and Goitein’s index card.) Not edited in the India Book: an additional list of accounts on verso, written in Arabic script and Greek/Coptic numerals and headed by the glyph. One of the items on that list is zabada (civet), indicating that it is probably connected to the Judaeo-Arabic account. The word "fīlī" in Arabic script may also appear at bottom left.

Accounts of community of revenue from houses rent, Ca. 1250. Contains, listed in two columns, several current entries of revenue and expenditures. Both Hebrew letters and Coptic numerals are used. In addition, both sides of the leaf have various scribblings, mainly names of Hebrew months, written in another hand. These are unconnected with the document and may be writing exercises. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp.476 #143)

Account in cash (dirhams and dinars)

List written by Abu Zikri Kohen, metioning names and amount of money, probably debts or payments. On verso a list in Arabic script.

Three columns of contributors, giving fidda, 'silver' (a late equivalent for 'dirham'). Characteristic names: Somekh (assistant cantor, Heb.) Furaykh ('Little Chick,' twice), Frjlh (also twice, an abbreviation of Faraj Allah, 'God had helped'). (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, 501, App. C 100)

ENA 1822a.82: Accounts in Ladino and western Arabic numerals that can be dated as c.1732CE through the joins ENA NS 39.2 and ENA NS 27.7. Some of the verso's listed entries begin with the Judeo-Arabic word "wuṣūl / ווצול" which may be listed with a Ladino plural ending as "wuṣūles de" and may indicate incoming payments (l. 5-6v). The verso also lists names, such as: Abd Raḥman and Khalīl Effendi. MCD.

ENA 1822a.83: Accounts in Ladino and western Arabic numerals dated as 21 Shvat [54]92 or 17 February 1732CE. The same name Moshe Ḥason "חסון" listed here (l. 5r) appears in the join ENA NS 27.7. On the recto, a variety of Ottoman coinage types are mentioned such as funduqli, medin, and cinzirli. On the verso, the lower entry includes Shabtai Alpalas in the heading which is followed by a variety of numerical figures. MCD.

ENA 1822a.83a: Accounts in Ladino and western Arabic numerals dated in one recto entry as 8 Tevet [54]92 or 6 January 1732CE. On the recto one Moshe Ḥason is mentioned, who can be traced through this fragment's joins, and another name Martin Tersela[?] appears in the third line up from the bottom of the scan. The latter surname also appears in l. 2r as part of another entry where funduqli coinage is in use. The same accounting format continues onto this fragment's verso. MCD.

Late list of wealthy contributors, about 30 per week (Information from Goitein index cards.) Verso: There are also several lines of Arabic script.

List of monetary transactions of debts. In Judaeo-Arabic. Some lines are deleted

Account in the hand of Nahray b. Nissim, ca. 1061.

An inventory dated 8 Jumada II of a shop selling fruit and sugar, the ingredients for homemade candy "for those who wished to enjoy the fruit in a state other than natural." Lists a large amount of regular sugar and a small one of rock sugar, 100 pounds of hazelnuts and smaller quantities of pomegranate seeds, sumac, pistachios and two types of raisins. Also banana leaves, probably used for wrapping. Goitein has a full translation in the footnote. See Med. Soc., IV: 246, ix C 1 n. 152.

List of accounts in Ladino and western Arabic numerals dated at the opening of each entry, for example, 15 Shvat 5450 or 25 January 1690CE. In the second entry on the recto, the phrase "es de corto" may be referring to characteristics of goods (l. 9r). At the bottom of the recto, it appears the author ceased completing an entry that had already been designated a date. On the verso, a fragment of an account entry is visible with the name Akiva mentioned in the last line. MCD.

Ledger of accounts. In Judaeo-Arabic. Rudimentary handwriting. Mentions flax. Merits further examination.

A list of medicinal items in Judaeo-Arabic and eastern Arabic numerals. Dating: Ottoman-era, perhaps 18th or 19th century.

Table of materia medica or perfumes and their value in dinars. In Judaeo-Arabic. Items include three kinds of aloe (ʿūd), ambergris (ʿanbar), perfume (? ʿabir), ben oil (bān), and two kinds of saffron. Verso: Block of text in Arabic script. Needs examination.