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Masṭara Ruling Boards
A ruling board, known in Arabic as a masṭara, was used by copyists to make lines on the pages with regular spacing, a feature of professionally produced manuscripts of this period. The boards were…
Seal of Tsemaḥ ben Asah ha-Nasi
This domed carnelian stone seal belonged to Tsemaḥ ben Asah ha-Nasi (“the Prince”). The title marked a claim to Davidic descent, and Tsemaḥ was a leader of the Karaite community in Fustāt (Old Cairo)…
Astrolabe with Hebrew Additions
This astrolabe, a tool used for astronomical measurements, was produced by a Muslim artisan named Muḥammad Ibn al-Ṣaffār in Toledo in 1029/30. Ibn al-Ṣaffār was a skilled artisan, and his scientific…
Seal of Solomon ben Isaac al-Mu‘amam
This seal, made of bronze and 2.7 cm (1.06 in) in diameter, is inscribed with Hebrew lettering: “Solomon bar Isaac al-Mu‘amam, may God be his friend.” It is thought to have been cast in southern Spain…
Bracteate Coin
This silver bracteate coin (a coin struck on only one side) was produced by Jewish craftsmen, likely during the reign of Mieszko III (d. 1202), ruler of Poland. Starting in 1173, Mieszko employed…
Seal of Samson of Coucy
This seal belonged to Samson bar Samson of Coucy (born in the second half of the twelfth century), a French Tosafist and biblical exegete known as ha-sar (“the prince”) of Coucy. The bronze seal bears…