Commerce, culture, and community in a Red Sea port in the thirteenth century : the Arabic documents from Quseir / by Li Guo.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Guo, Li, 1956-

Series:

Islamic history and civilization ; v. 52.

Islamic history and civilization. Studies and texts, 0929-2403 ; v. 52

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

City and town life--Egypt--History--Sources.

City and town life.

Qusayr al-Qadīm (Extinct city).

Qusayr al-Qadīm (Extinct city)--Social life and customs.

Egypt--Commerce--Red Sea Region--History--Sources.

Egypt.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (360 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Leiden ; Boston : Brill, 2004.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

This book is the first comprehensive study of the Arabic documents uncovered in Quseir, Upper Egypt, during the 1980s. The hundreds of paper fragments shed light on activities and operations of a family shipping business on the Red Sea shore in the thirteenth century. Part One is an introductory essay on historical and cultural context of these documents. The three chapters deal with, respectively, the "Sheikh's house," where the documents were found, the Red Sea commerce as reflected in the trade activities around the house, and aspects of popular culture as revealed through the texts. Part Two comprises a critical edition of eighty-four Arabic texts, the majority of which have never been published before, with translation and commentary.

Contents:

Intro

Contents

Preface

Abbreviations

List of Plates

Part One

Chapter One: The "Sheikh's House"

The Family: A Household Divided

The Company: Associates and Employees

Clients: Suppliers, Buyers, Officials, Pilgrims, and Others

Chapter Two: The Red Sea Commerce at Quseir

Weights and Measures

Grain: Quantity and Prices

Other Commodities: No More Spices?

Trade Patterns and Business Practices

The Quest for Money

The Trade Routes

Chapter Three: Life, Death, and God: Aspects of Popular Belief and Culture

"Funeral Texts": Sermons and Prayers

"Healing Texts": Block Printed Amulets and Handwritten Charms

Astrological Dials

Concluding Remarks: The Red Sea Trade on the Eve of the "World System"

Part Two

Chapter Four: The Documents

Classification of the Texts

Paleography

Language

Chapter Five: Edition

Commercial Letters

Shipping Notes

Accounts

Official and Semi-Official Correspondence

Private Letters

Miscellanies

Select Bibliography

Index of Manuscripts and Text Editions

Index of Documents

General Index

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

Y

Z.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Description based on print version record.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 315-318) and indexes.

ISBN:

1-280-91495-5

9786610914951

90-474-0497-1

1-4294-1457-X

OCLC:

182530274

Publisher Number:

10.1163/9789047404972 DOI