[Letter to Judah ben Moses ben Sujmar of Fustat] : manuscript

Name:

Salamah ben Musa ben Yitsḥaḳ

Timespan:

To 1500

Date:

1064

Language:

Judeo-Arabic

Provenance:

Cairo Genizah Collection (University of Pennsylvania. Center for Advanced Judaic Studies. Library).; Cairo Genizah Collection (Dropsie College. Library).; Sulzberger.

Publisher:

[publisher not identified]

Subject:

Salamah ben Musa ben Yitsḥaḳ Correspondence; Abu Zekharyah Yehudah ben Mosheh Correspondence; Jews -- Italy -- Sicily -- History -- To 1500; Jews -- Italy -- Mazara del Vallo -- History -- To 1500; Normans -- Mediterranean Region -- Influence; Taxes, Farming of; Commercial correspondence, Judeo-Arabic; Indigo industry -- Egypt -- History -- To 1500; Flax industry -- Egypt -- History -- To 1500; Bituminous materials industry -- Egypt -- History -- To 1500; Lead industry and trade -- Egypt -- History -- To 1500; Olive oil industry -- Africa, North -- History -- To 1500; Olive oil industry; History; Lead industry and trade; Bituminous materials industry; Flax industry; Indigo industry; Normans; Jews

Resource Type:

Text

Form/Genre:

Personal correspondence; books

Physical Description:

1 folio : damaged, faded

Geographic Subject:

Sfax (Tunisia) -- Commerce -- History -- To 1500; North Africa; Egypt; Mediterranean Region; Italy -- Mazara del Vallo; Italy -- Sicily

Rights:

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/

Notes:

The largest known letter in the Genizah; signature and address in Hebrew and Arabic characters; the handwriting is not that of the author (compare Mosseri IV 36; Cambridge TS 12.270).; The writer, Solomon is an established sea merchant who has a high volume of international trade.; He is writing to his partner, Judah, in Fustat. His business has suffered through the political instability in his home port of Sfax (), Tunisia, in the conflict (1064)between the Governer of Sfax and the Sultan of al-Maḥdiyeh Tamim ben Muiz. Solomon, is associated with the former, having served as a tax farmer of the olive growers, and the Sultan has blockaded the ports.; He was home from Rosh ha-Shanah to Shavuot, but is now writing from Mazara, on the west coast of Sicily. Here to the businiess climate is poor due to political instability and warfare. The Port of Palermo has been raided (by the Normans).; Solomon accuses his partner of buying low grade pepper and ginger without consulting him, among the reasons of which he intends to terminate the partnership. The trade of lead, indigo (in al-Maḥdiyeh), lacquer, pitch, flax and olive oil (the chief export of Sfax), are also mentioned. Solomon's agent Abu'l-Faraj Nissim is accompanying this shipment to Fustat, and Judah is asked to look after him.; Part of another letter from the same Solomon to Judah, via the same agent Nissim, was sent soon after this one. It is found below, no. 414 (Ben Sassoon no. 13; Gil, ibid. no. 752). Solomon agrees there to continue the partnership.; Judeo-Arabic. Hebrew

Physical Location:

Library at the Katz Center, Genizah Fragments, Halper 389

Collection:

Cairo Genizah Collection (University of Pennsylvania. Center for Advanced Judaic Studies. Library)