Mediterranean Society

by Goitein, S. D.

• ISBN13: 9780520221581
• ISBN10: 0520221583
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-09-01
• Publisher: Univ of California Pr

Summary

Goitein's masterful study of the Mediterranean Arabic-speaking Jewish communities of the high Middle Ages (tenth through thirteenth centuries) as reflected in the documents preserved in the famous Cairo Geniza.

Table of Contents

Author's Note	xvii
Abbreviations and Symbols	xix
Introduction: The Cairo Geniza Documents as a Source of Mediterranean Social History (map of Egypt facing)	1	(28)
The Mediterranean Scene During The High Middle Ages (969--1250)	29	(46)
Historical Survey	29	(13)
International Contacts	42	(17)
Freedom of Communication	59	(11)
The Geniza People as Representative of Mediterranean Society	70	(5)
The Working People	75	(73)
The Social Classes	75	(5)
The Craftsmen	80	(12)
Wage Earners	92	(7)
The Main Industries	99	(17)
Agriculture and Fishery	116	(11)
Professions of Women	127	(3)
Slaves and Slave Girls	130	(18)
The World of Commerce and Finance	148	(125)
Introductory Note: Periods and Countries Prominent in The Business Documents of The Geniza	148	(1)
The Merchants and Their Employees	149	(15)
Types of Businessmen
The Employees	161	(3)
The Ways of Commercial Cooperation	164	(22)
``Friendship'' and Informal ``Cooperation''	164	(5)
Partnerships and Commenda	169	(11)
Family Partnerships	180	(3)
Commission and Agency	183	(3)
The Representative of the Merchants and His Warehouse	186	(6)
Business Procedures and Practices	192	(17)
Commodities, Trade Routes, and Prices	209	(20)
Money, Banking, and Finance	229	(37)
Government Control of Commerce	266	(7)
Travel and Seafaring	273	(80)
Incentives for Travel	273	(2)
Overland Travel	275	(6)
The Commercial Overland Mail Service	281	(14)
River Traffic	295	(6)
Seafaring: Its Economic Importance	301	(4)
Types of Vessels	305	(4)
The Organization of Shipping	309	(4)
On the High Seas	313	(14)
Piracy, War, and other Man-Made Dangers	327	(5)
Packing, Shipping, and Storage	332	(7)
Cost of Transport	339	(7)
On Travel in General	346	(7)
APPENDIXES	353	(40)
A. Dates and Names	355	(4)
B. Coins, Weights, and Measures	359	(3)
C. Industrial Partnerships	362	(6)
D. The Exchange Rate of Gold and Silver Money	368	(25)
NOTES	393	(100)
INDEXES	493	(2)
Index of Geniza Texts	495	(34)
General Index	529