Letter: T-S 20.120

Description

Petition addressed to Yaḥyā ha-Sar. In Judaeo-Arabic with some Hebrew. The handwriting may be known from other documents. Dating: Possibly ca. 1100 CE, based on the similarity to CUL Or.1080 J40 and the mention of Ṣārim al-Dawla in l. 8 (a relatively unusual title which was held by a Fatimid ruler in Ashqelon under Badr al-Jamālī and his son al-Afḍal ca. 1090s and 1100s CE). Same addressee as CUL Or.1080 J40 (also a Yaḥyā ha-Sar with some of the same titles: שר בית ישראל זקן התפארה הוד השררה). According to CUDL the sender of this petition is a woman, maybe because of the ברת in the address—but this might be a different word, since the words around this appear to yield the name "Shela b. Mevasser." This appears to be a letter of recommendation for charity/assistance on behalf of a druggist/perfumer from Sammanūd named Hiba (ll. 4–5). May refer to accusations against his disabled (? maʾūf) in-law with a woman (ll. 4–5). Mentions Ṣārim al-Dawla and something which the governor of the town said (...fa-qāla wālī al-balad...). Someone is under intimidation (...taḥta takhwīf...).The addressee is asked to obtain a document from al-Muʾayyad (or perhaps this is another al-maʾūf, "regarding the maʾuf")) addressed to Asad al-Dawla, the son of al-Muaʾayyad. The issue involves a loss of 3 dinars and a period of 5 months, and it seems some wine. The main text of the letter ends with the motto עתרת שלום ואמת. May mention someone who is 'stricken' (hādha al-maʾūf) in the postscript. Needs further examination, ideally with multispectral imaging. ASE