Lot 1: A FRAMED ARABIC MANUSCRIPT DOCUMENT RELATING TO JERUSALEM, DATED 1059 AH (1649–1650 CE)

An early Arabic manuscript document written in black ink on laid paper, dated 1059 AH (1649–1650 CE), and presented in a later protective frame. The text is rendered in a neat cursive hand across multiple lines, with a series of signatures or attestations along the lower section, indicating a formal administrative or legal function.

The document exhibits characteristic age-related wear, including toning, staining, creases from historical folding, and small areas of loss, all consistent with a 17th-century origin. Despite this, the script remains largely clear and legible. The format and structure strongly suggest a legal or financial record produced within an Islamic (likely Ottoman-era) administrative framework, supported by the use of formal legal terminology such as “ضمانة شرعية” (legal guarantee) and “في ذمة” (under the liability of).

Accompanied by a modern handwritten note providing a reading and context for the document. The note identifies it as a “legal guarantee document of obligation” and references individuals named Sheikh Hussein al-Assaf and Latifa al-Assaf. It further mentions Syrians residing in Jerusalem (القدس الشريف) and indicates that the document was at some point kept and later transferred to a monastery, with the date given as 1059 AH (1649–1650 CE).

While the manuscript itself is not a Christian document in origin, the references to Syrians (likely Syriac Christians) and a monastery suggest it relates to, or records dealings involving, a Christian community in Jerusalem. As such, it offers a compelling example of cross-communal interaction between Muslim legal authorities and Christian institutions in the early modern period.

51 x 41cm framed

30 x 21cm page