National Library of Israel Acquires Important Collection of “Afghan Geniza”, Documents From 11th-13th Century

From the National Library of Israel:

The National Library of Israel in Jerusalem has acquired a one of a kind collection of manuscripts which will revolutionize our understanding about the history and culture of the legendary Silk Road’s ancient Jewish community.
The new collection, comprised of approximately 250 pages dating to the early 11th century, constitutes the largest body of original materials from the region prior to the modern era. Complementing the NLI’s existing collection of 29 pages from the widely-reported “Afghan Geniza”, it represents virtually the only primary source for information about this once-thriving Jewish community, as well as the region’s Islamic and Persian cultures prior to the Mongol invasion.
This acquisition has been made possible through the generous support of the William Davidson Foundation and the Haim and Hanna Salomon Fund.
The 11th-13th century documents provide unprecedented access to the day-to-day life, society, and economy of Jews along the Silk Road, the ancient highway which once linked Europe and China.

The National Library of Israel plans to digitize the collection.
Read the Complete Announcement
See Also: A First Glimpse into the Treasures of the “Afghan Genizah” (via NLI)

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