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Oxford and Cambridge aim for £1.2m Lewis-Gibson Genizah Jewish archive Oxford and Cambridge aim for £1.2m Lewis-Gibson Genizah Jewish archive
(7 months later)
The virtuous Victorian twin sisters who acquired a unique archive of medieval Jewish documents from Cairo could never have known the true nature of one tattered parchment: it is a magic spell to persuade a woman have sex with a man – his part is to recite it while running around her room naked with his trousers on his head, while she sleeps.The virtuous Victorian twin sisters who acquired a unique archive of medieval Jewish documents from Cairo could never have known the true nature of one tattered parchment: it is a magic spell to persuade a woman have sex with a man – his part is to recite it while running around her room naked with his trousers on his head, while she sleeps.
"Frankly by the time you're running around her room with your trousers on your head you're two-thirds of the way there," curator Ben Outhwaite, who can read the text, observed."Frankly by the time you're running around her room with your trousers on your head you're two-thirds of the way there," curator Ben Outhwaite, who can read the text, observed.
Some might suspect this is also a spell to bring together ancient academic rivals, the historic university libraries of Oxford and Cambridge, collaborating for the first time to raise £1.2m, and buy the Lewis-Gibson Genizah archive of almost 2,000 documents covering 1,000 years of Jewish and Middle East history.Some might suspect this is also a spell to bring together ancient academic rivals, the historic university libraries of Oxford and Cambridge, collaborating for the first time to raise £1.2m, and buy the Lewis-Gibson Genizah archive of almost 2,000 documents covering 1,000 years of Jewish and Middle East history.
Six years ago American Sarah Thomas became the non-Briton and the first woman to head Oxford's Bodleian library. When she called all her staff together and looked forward to co-operation with other academics including Cambridge, there was an audible hiss. "A good natured hiss, but a hiss nonetheless."Six years ago American Sarah Thomas became the non-Briton and the first woman to head Oxford's Bodleian library. When she called all her staff together and looked forward to co-operation with other academics including Cambridge, there was an audible hiss. "A good natured hiss, but a hiss nonetheless."
Her opposite number at Cambridge, Ann Jarvis, is that institution's first woman librarian and Irish. "We have a lot in common," Jarvis said drily "We get on well."Her opposite number at Cambridge, Ann Jarvis, is that institution's first woman librarian and Irish. "We have a lot in common," Jarvis said drily "We get on well."
The origins in Britain of the collection, which came from the document store of an ancient synagogue in Cairo, lie in the historic rivalry between the two institutions.The origins in Britain of the collection, which came from the document store of an ancient synagogue in Cairo, lie in the historic rivalry between the two institutions.
The Scottish twins Agnes Smith Lewis and Margaret Dunlop Gibson, who spoke 12 languages, inherited a fortune and spent decades exploring the Middle East by boat, camel and on foot, including cataloguing the library of St Catherine's monastery in the Sinai desert.The Scottish twins Agnes Smith Lewis and Margaret Dunlop Gibson, who spoke 12 languages, inherited a fortune and spent decades exploring the Middle East by boat, camel and on foot, including cataloguing the library of St Catherine's monastery in the Sinai desert.
They bought the first Genizah documents from a bookdealer in Jerusalem, and alerted their Cambridge friend the scholar Solomon Schechter, who hared off to Cairo determined to keep the collection out of the clutches of Oxford. He did so well that Cambridge already has 200,000 Genizah documents, and Oxford just 25,000, though together they form the most important collection in the world of the manuscripts.They bought the first Genizah documents from a bookdealer in Jerusalem, and alerted their Cambridge friend the scholar Solomon Schechter, who hared off to Cairo determined to keep the collection out of the clutches of Oxford. He did so well that Cambridge already has 200,000 Genizah documents, and Oxford just 25,000, though together they form the most important collection in the world of the manuscripts.
The two libraries are now launching their first joint fundraising appeal to buy more than 1,700 documents from the same source, including the earliest known Jewish engagement contract, an eyewitness account of the atrocities of the crusaders in Jerusalem, and a draft in his own messy handwriting of a commentary by the great 12th-century Jewish scholar Moses Maimonides.The two libraries are now launching their first joint fundraising appeal to buy more than 1,700 documents from the same source, including the earliest known Jewish engagement contract, an eyewitness account of the atrocities of the crusaders in Jerusalem, and a draft in his own messy handwriting of a commentary by the great 12th-century Jewish scholar Moses Maimonides.
The sisters left their own archive to the Westminster College in Cambridge, a theological and training college which is now selling to fund its development plans.The sisters left their own archive to the Westminster College in Cambridge, a theological and training college which is now selling to fund its development plans.
The spell for trousers on one's head is one of several magic incantations: there is, Outhwaite said, no record of it ever working.The spell for trousers on one's head is one of several magic incantations: there is, Outhwaite said, no record of it ever working.
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