The Qurra Papyrus - Oriental Institute No. 13759, 90-91 AH / 709-710 CE

Islamic Awareness

First Composed: 4th December 2005

Last Modified: 4th December 2005

Assalamu ʿalaykum wa rahamatullahi wa barakatuhu:

Figure: (left) Picture of the papyrus and (right) its contents.

[] encloses letters supplied to fill a lacuna.

Date

90-91 AH / 709-710 CE.

Size

87.5 cm x 20.5 cm. Medium brown, fine papyrus, but in poor condition. The beginning and the left half along almost the entire length are broken off and missing.

Accession No.

Oriental Institute No. 13759.

Contents

The translation of text is:

What he received ...
since ʿAbd Allāh
ibn ʿAbd al-Malik was in it, of the gold tax and
the imposts and the extraordinary taxes
in that. If what ...
of the gold tax and ...
established in the ...
no secret in it ...
collected from the ...
the gold tax, for what ...
from Samāk, the brother of F r...
and from Sālih ...
letter for that ...
therefore, when this present letter reaches you,
then send me ...
every dīnār which you have paid ...
or he who was before you over
your district, to ʿAbd Allāh ibn
ʿAbd al-Malik, of the gold tax and
the extraordinary taxes and the fines ...
and the mawārīth (?) (or mawāzīt ?) ...
that is what has written ...r ibn
al-... since he was in Egypt
to this my day. And that
is a clear document affirming
the extraordinary taxes which you paid
into the treasuries of ʿAbd Allāh ibn
ʿAbd al-Malik ...
the finance officers. Then do not ..................
........................................
one except ...
his letter and ...
Peace be to those who follow
the guidance. Written by ...
in ........................................

Comment

This document deals with arrears from ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbd al-Malik's time, it was probably among the first of Qurra ibn Sharīk's documents and hence dated 90 AH, at the latest 91 AH.

Location

Oriental Institute, Chicago.

References

[1] N. Abbott, The Kurrah Papyri From Aphrodito In The Oriental Institute, 1938, Studies In Ancient Oriental Civilization: No. 15, The University of Chicago Press: Chicago (IL), pp. 49-52, Plate IV.

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