State document: T-S NS 184.24

State document T-S NS 184.24

Metadata

Shelfmark
T-S NS 184.24
Primary Language
Arabic

What's in the PGP

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Description

Formal-looking letter apparently from an astrologer to a vizier (سيدنا الوزير الاجل). In Arabic script. Dating: Probably Fatimid, 11th or 12th century. Quite damaged. Opens with the bare minimum of formulaic blessings. Refers to "Wednesday the 4th of Ṣafar" (l. 5) and then provides a technical description of the configurations of Mars (Mirrīkh), Saturn (Zuḥal), the sun, Leo (al-Asad), Jupiter (al-Mushtarī), and Venus (al-Zuhra) (ll. 6–9): المريخ غايب عن زحل مقبول من الشمس لكون . . . طالع برج الاسد من عشرين . . . من زحل ويكون المشتري في الخامس والزهرة . . . المشتري. The next section (ll. 9–11) may be prognostications based on the preceding astrological data, mentioning e.g. "cold" (bārid) and "money" (al-māl). In l. 12: "this day is superior to Monday, the 9th of Ṣafar." Reused in the upper margin and on verso for a literary text in Judaeo-Arabic and Hebrew, a commentary citing verses from Samuel. ASE

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Additional metadata

Provenance
Geniza
Collection
Cambridge University Library, Taylor-Schechter
Input date
In PGP since 2022
Image
Transcription
Translation

T-S NS 184.24 1r

°
1r

T-S NS 184.24 1v

1v
    Image Permissions Statement
    • T-S NS 184.24: Provided by Cambridge University Library. Zooming image © Cambridge University Library, All rights reserved. This image may be used in accord with fair use and fair dealing provisions, including teaching and research. If you wish to reproduce it within publications or on the public web, please contact genizah@lib.cam.ac.uk.
    Cambridge University Library, Taylor-Schechter, T-S NS 184.24. Available online through the Princeton Geniza Project at https://geniza.princeton.edu/documents/36567/ (accessed October 15, 2026).