Recent excavations at late antique Negev sites have produced large quantities of Red Sea parrotfi... more Recent excavations at late antique Negev sites have produced large quantities of Red Sea parrotfish bones. The authors place this surprising find within the context of economic processes and cultural preferences, highlighting the significant level of connectivity experienced in the Negev in late antiquity; its contacts to Red Sea systems of production, preservation, and transportation of goods; and its relationship with Mediterranean networks of knowledge, fashion, and taste.
The Mosseri collection was assembled by Jacques Mosseri (1884-1934), a leading member of the Jewi... more The Mosseri collection was assembled by Jacques Mosseri (1884-1934), a leading member of the Jewish community of Cairo, between 1909 and 1911 . Its more than 7000 fragments include materials from both the classical Genizah period and the modern period of Egyptian Jewry. Recently, the Mosseri collection was loaned by the Mosseri family to Cambridge University Library for conservation, digitising, cataloguing and study. This article is part of that effort. Here, new information about medical documents from the Cairo Genizah is made available to scholars especially interested in research on the history of medieval Arab society in general and Jewish medicine and pharmacology in particular. The sixty-nine items from the Mosseri collection here described will be useful for those already working in the field. Descriptions, without any analyses, of these fragments will later be included in a forthcoming catalogue of all medical and para-medical fragments in the Cambridge Genizah collections.
Jewish Medical Practitioners in the Medieval Muslim World, 2021
The beginning of the third chapter discusses and fully present 496 biographies of Jewish physicia... more The beginning of the third chapter discusses and fully present 496 biographies of Jewish physicians, followed by the biographies of 111 Jewish pharmacists (apothecaries, perfumers and druggists). It also deals with related issues, such as potion makers and commercial aspects of drugs. Making up a third group are the dynasties of Jewish practitioners, a phenomenon that will be explained and discussed. Forty-nine dynasties consisting of 139 practitioners will be presented, including the biographies of the members and in most cases a chart of the family tree, along with detailed discussion of the dynasties, their role in the Jewish communities and their relationship with the Muslim administrations and rulers throughout the relevant periods.
In the medieval Arab world, gemstones were used as ornaments, set in jewellery, seals, and amulet... more In the medieval Arab world, gemstones were used as ornaments, set in jewellery, seals, and amulets, and also were investments and status symbols. As a result of the Arab conquests and their access to new regions, the distribution and use of gemstones underwent substantial changes. Our research pieces together information regarding the production, use, trade, tradition and cultural value of gemstones from early Arabic sources; this information is compared with material found in ancient Greek and Roman sources and also European sources from the medieval period. The most valued stones were corundum, diamond, emerald and pearl. Other stones, such as turquoise, carnelian, garnet, onyx, lazurite and malachite, were less expensive and therefore more popular and common among the middle classes. Jasper, amethyst, and crystal were still cheaper and even more commonly-owned. In this article, we have chosen to present in detail the stories of two of the most exotic, expensive, and therefore mos...
This chapter reconstructs a list as possible of all the ‘new’ medicinal substances that were more... more This chapter reconstructs a list as possible of all the ‘new’ medicinal substances that were more widely distributed than in the pre-Islamic period. It studies the contribution and influence of these substances on the theoretical and practical medieval medical legacy as well as how, and to what extent, these substances merge with the development and distribution of ‘new’ technologies and industries that evolved in the Middle Ages such as textiles and paper, and with the new trends, demands, and fashions regarding perfumes, ornaments, and foodstuffs. The chapter also seeks to trace the main routes of trade in these substances in the new ‘Arab space’ and to assess the actual relevance that should be ascribed to the Greek and Indian legacies in the formation of Arab medicine and pharmacology.
Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology, Jan 28, 2017
This study was conducted to assess the impact of a patient-tailored complementary/integrative med... more This study was conducted to assess the impact of a patient-tailored complementary/integrative medicine (CIM) program on gastro-intestinal (GI) symptoms and other concerns in female patients with breast/gynecological cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Patients with breast/gynecological cancer reporting GI-related concerns were referred to an integrative physician (IP) consultation. The treatment group included patients agreeing to attend the consultation; controls those who did not. The Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) were administered at baseline and at 6 weeks. Adherence to integrative care (AIC) was defined as attending ≥4 CIM treatments, with ≤30 days between each session. Of 496 patients approached, 289 reported GI-related concerns. Optimal assessment at baseline and 6 weeks was achieved in 117 patients in the treatment arm, with 86 adhering to the CIM program (AIC ...
Until the end of the Ottoman period the Hippocratic-Galenic doctrine, which had been improved by ... more Until the end of the Ottoman period the Hippocratic-Galenic doctrine, which had been improved by medieval Muslim medicine, was the predominant medicine in the Holy Land. The penetration of modern medicine into the region was a slow process, advancing step by step over the years until it was established around the end of the 19th century. Dr. Titus Tobler, a Swiss physician of many talents, first visited Jerusalem in 1835, then again in 1845, 1857, and 1865.. He reported his experiences and impressions in several books and articles. His publications portray the condition of medicine in the city before the advent of the European physicians, their arrival, and the establishment of the first hospitals in the city. Thanks to his endeavours, a professional description of the medical conditions prevailing in Jerusalem in the mid-19th century is available to the public. Tobler's writings include descriptions of the healers, blood-letters, quacks, medicinal substances and their market, a...
At the age of 46, Dr Edward Macgowan, by now a well-established physician, joined the ranks of th... more At the age of 46, Dr Edward Macgowan, by now a well-established physician, joined the ranks of the London Society for Promoting Christianity among the Jews with the aim of establishing the first modern hospital in Palestine. For the first six months of 1842, Macgowan established his work among the Jerusalem population on a regular basis and managed to establish a close relationship with the Jewish community and some of its leaders in Jerusalem. On 12 December 1844, the Jews' Hospital was opened in Jerusalem and became a source of great pride for the missionaries. Edward Macgowan died in Jerusalem after 18 years of service and was buried in the Protestant cemetery in his beloved city.
... 2002 Sep;32(3):40-5. The 1857 inventory of materia medica of the British hospital in Jerusale... more ... 2002 Sep;32(3):40-5. The 1857 inventory of materia medica of the British hospital in Jerusalem. Lev E, Perry Y. Department of Eretz Israel Studies, University of Haifa and Jordan Valley College, Israel. levefr@zahav.net.il. PMID: 12382652 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]. ...
The London Society for Promoting Christianity Amongst the Jews established the first Western hosp... more The London Society for Promoting Christianity Amongst the Jews established the first Western hospital in Jerusalem in the middle of 19th century. It was built for the benefit of the Jewish population of the city, and it transposed the Holy Land, from a medical point of view, to the modern era. The huge archives of the London Society in England contain many documents dealing with its activity. One document, revealed here for the first time, describes the content of the medicinal preparations held in the stores of the British hospital and dispensary in Jerusalem on July 21 1857. The list, presented here in full, is impressive in its length, containing hundreds of medicinal substances originating from plants, minerals, and animals that were used in the Western world at the time. Most of the chemicals in the list had never previously appeared in any published historical source concerning Palestine. The list is thus one of the first pieces of evidence of modern medical and pharmacologica...
The literature on medicine in medieval Muslim countries in general and in Egypt in particular is ... more The literature on medicine in medieval Muslim countries in general and in Egypt in particular is vast and detailed. Yet study and assessment of the practical aspects of medicine in the Mediterranean society of the Middle Ages requires examination of authentic, practical medical knowledge. At present this can be extracted mainly from the prescriptions found in the Cairo Genizah; these supply a different and valuable dimension. On the importance and the potential of research into the medical aspects of the Genizah documents, mainly prescriptions, Goitein wrote in 1971 that “these prescriptions have to be examined by experts in the history of medicine”.
The reconstruction of the library of Eastern medieval Jewish scholars and medical practitioners a... more The reconstruction of the library of Eastern medieval Jewish scholars and medical practitioners according to the Cairo Genizah is a long-term project. In the course of the work a Judaeo-Arabic fragment of a unique tabular medical book by Ibn Biklārish (T-S Ar.44.218) was identified by the authors of this article.The fragment is unique in several respects, particularly (a) very few medieval Arabic tabular medical works are known, (b) only few works by Andalusian Jewish authors of the late 11th or early 12th century have been found in the Genizah so far, (c) only one Judaeo-Arabic fragment of Ibn Biklārish'sKitāb al-Mustaʿīnīis known to date.The main importance of our find is that it is the first time that a rare Spanish medical book has appeared in the Cairo Genizah collection. Dozens of the Genizah's fragments have been identified as medical books, but none by a Spanish Jewish author, written in Judaeo-Arabic, and tabulated!
Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain & Ireland, 2013
Perfumes have been known as utilizable but exclusive products since antiquity. Use of aromatic su... more Perfumes have been known as utilizable but exclusive products since antiquity. Use of aromatic substances was first mentioned in archaic sources of the ancient world. The origin of such fragrant substances was mainly vegetable and animal. Throughout history, the use of subtle perfumes increased and some of the exotic materials became expensive and valuable commodities. They were the source of wealth for cultures and rulers. The contribution of the Arabs to the distribution of new crops, knowledge, industrial techniques and substances is a well-known phenomenon. In our article we intend to focus on the new perfumes that were distributed throughout the world thanks to the Arab conquests and the knowledge of their other uses, mainly medicinal, that was handed down along with the products themselves. About 20 common perfumes are known to have been used in the medieval world, though half of them were not mentioned in earlier sources.These phenomena will be dealt with and presented in a p...
Recent excavations at late antique Negev sites have produced large quantities of Red Sea parrotfi... more Recent excavations at late antique Negev sites have produced large quantities of Red Sea parrotfish bones. The authors place this surprising find within the context of economic processes and cultural preferences, highlighting the significant level of connectivity experienced in the Negev in late antiquity; its contacts to Red Sea systems of production, preservation, and transportation of goods; and its relationship with Mediterranean networks of knowledge, fashion, and taste.
The Mosseri collection was assembled by Jacques Mosseri (1884-1934), a leading member of the Jewi... more The Mosseri collection was assembled by Jacques Mosseri (1884-1934), a leading member of the Jewish community of Cairo, between 1909 and 1911 . Its more than 7000 fragments include materials from both the classical Genizah period and the modern period of Egyptian Jewry. Recently, the Mosseri collection was loaned by the Mosseri family to Cambridge University Library for conservation, digitising, cataloguing and study. This article is part of that effort. Here, new information about medical documents from the Cairo Genizah is made available to scholars especially interested in research on the history of medieval Arab society in general and Jewish medicine and pharmacology in particular. The sixty-nine items from the Mosseri collection here described will be useful for those already working in the field. Descriptions, without any analyses, of these fragments will later be included in a forthcoming catalogue of all medical and para-medical fragments in the Cambridge Genizah collections.
Jewish Medical Practitioners in the Medieval Muslim World, 2021
The beginning of the third chapter discusses and fully present 496 biographies of Jewish physicia... more The beginning of the third chapter discusses and fully present 496 biographies of Jewish physicians, followed by the biographies of 111 Jewish pharmacists (apothecaries, perfumers and druggists). It also deals with related issues, such as potion makers and commercial aspects of drugs. Making up a third group are the dynasties of Jewish practitioners, a phenomenon that will be explained and discussed. Forty-nine dynasties consisting of 139 practitioners will be presented, including the biographies of the members and in most cases a chart of the family tree, along with detailed discussion of the dynasties, their role in the Jewish communities and their relationship with the Muslim administrations and rulers throughout the relevant periods.
In the medieval Arab world, gemstones were used as ornaments, set in jewellery, seals, and amulet... more In the medieval Arab world, gemstones were used as ornaments, set in jewellery, seals, and amulets, and also were investments and status symbols. As a result of the Arab conquests and their access to new regions, the distribution and use of gemstones underwent substantial changes. Our research pieces together information regarding the production, use, trade, tradition and cultural value of gemstones from early Arabic sources; this information is compared with material found in ancient Greek and Roman sources and also European sources from the medieval period. The most valued stones were corundum, diamond, emerald and pearl. Other stones, such as turquoise, carnelian, garnet, onyx, lazurite and malachite, were less expensive and therefore more popular and common among the middle classes. Jasper, amethyst, and crystal were still cheaper and even more commonly-owned. In this article, we have chosen to present in detail the stories of two of the most exotic, expensive, and therefore mos...
This chapter reconstructs a list as possible of all the ‘new’ medicinal substances that were more... more This chapter reconstructs a list as possible of all the ‘new’ medicinal substances that were more widely distributed than in the pre-Islamic period. It studies the contribution and influence of these substances on the theoretical and practical medieval medical legacy as well as how, and to what extent, these substances merge with the development and distribution of ‘new’ technologies and industries that evolved in the Middle Ages such as textiles and paper, and with the new trends, demands, and fashions regarding perfumes, ornaments, and foodstuffs. The chapter also seeks to trace the main routes of trade in these substances in the new ‘Arab space’ and to assess the actual relevance that should be ascribed to the Greek and Indian legacies in the formation of Arab medicine and pharmacology.
Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology, Jan 28, 2017
This study was conducted to assess the impact of a patient-tailored complementary/integrative med... more This study was conducted to assess the impact of a patient-tailored complementary/integrative medicine (CIM) program on gastro-intestinal (GI) symptoms and other concerns in female patients with breast/gynecological cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Patients with breast/gynecological cancer reporting GI-related concerns were referred to an integrative physician (IP) consultation. The treatment group included patients agreeing to attend the consultation; controls those who did not. The Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) were administered at baseline and at 6 weeks. Adherence to integrative care (AIC) was defined as attending ≥4 CIM treatments, with ≤30 days between each session. Of 496 patients approached, 289 reported GI-related concerns. Optimal assessment at baseline and 6 weeks was achieved in 117 patients in the treatment arm, with 86 adhering to the CIM program (AIC ...
Until the end of the Ottoman period the Hippocratic-Galenic doctrine, which had been improved by ... more Until the end of the Ottoman period the Hippocratic-Galenic doctrine, which had been improved by medieval Muslim medicine, was the predominant medicine in the Holy Land. The penetration of modern medicine into the region was a slow process, advancing step by step over the years until it was established around the end of the 19th century. Dr. Titus Tobler, a Swiss physician of many talents, first visited Jerusalem in 1835, then again in 1845, 1857, and 1865.. He reported his experiences and impressions in several books and articles. His publications portray the condition of medicine in the city before the advent of the European physicians, their arrival, and the establishment of the first hospitals in the city. Thanks to his endeavours, a professional description of the medical conditions prevailing in Jerusalem in the mid-19th century is available to the public. Tobler's writings include descriptions of the healers, blood-letters, quacks, medicinal substances and their market, a...
At the age of 46, Dr Edward Macgowan, by now a well-established physician, joined the ranks of th... more At the age of 46, Dr Edward Macgowan, by now a well-established physician, joined the ranks of the London Society for Promoting Christianity among the Jews with the aim of establishing the first modern hospital in Palestine. For the first six months of 1842, Macgowan established his work among the Jerusalem population on a regular basis and managed to establish a close relationship with the Jewish community and some of its leaders in Jerusalem. On 12 December 1844, the Jews' Hospital was opened in Jerusalem and became a source of great pride for the missionaries. Edward Macgowan died in Jerusalem after 18 years of service and was buried in the Protestant cemetery in his beloved city.
... 2002 Sep;32(3):40-5. The 1857 inventory of materia medica of the British hospital in Jerusale... more ... 2002 Sep;32(3):40-5. The 1857 inventory of materia medica of the British hospital in Jerusalem. Lev E, Perry Y. Department of Eretz Israel Studies, University of Haifa and Jordan Valley College, Israel. levefr@zahav.net.il. PMID: 12382652 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]. ...
The London Society for Promoting Christianity Amongst the Jews established the first Western hosp... more The London Society for Promoting Christianity Amongst the Jews established the first Western hospital in Jerusalem in the middle of 19th century. It was built for the benefit of the Jewish population of the city, and it transposed the Holy Land, from a medical point of view, to the modern era. The huge archives of the London Society in England contain many documents dealing with its activity. One document, revealed here for the first time, describes the content of the medicinal preparations held in the stores of the British hospital and dispensary in Jerusalem on July 21 1857. The list, presented here in full, is impressive in its length, containing hundreds of medicinal substances originating from plants, minerals, and animals that were used in the Western world at the time. Most of the chemicals in the list had never previously appeared in any published historical source concerning Palestine. The list is thus one of the first pieces of evidence of modern medical and pharmacologica...
The literature on medicine in medieval Muslim countries in general and in Egypt in particular is ... more The literature on medicine in medieval Muslim countries in general and in Egypt in particular is vast and detailed. Yet study and assessment of the practical aspects of medicine in the Mediterranean society of the Middle Ages requires examination of authentic, practical medical knowledge. At present this can be extracted mainly from the prescriptions found in the Cairo Genizah; these supply a different and valuable dimension. On the importance and the potential of research into the medical aspects of the Genizah documents, mainly prescriptions, Goitein wrote in 1971 that “these prescriptions have to be examined by experts in the history of medicine”.
The reconstruction of the library of Eastern medieval Jewish scholars and medical practitioners a... more The reconstruction of the library of Eastern medieval Jewish scholars and medical practitioners according to the Cairo Genizah is a long-term project. In the course of the work a Judaeo-Arabic fragment of a unique tabular medical book by Ibn Biklārish (T-S Ar.44.218) was identified by the authors of this article.The fragment is unique in several respects, particularly (a) very few medieval Arabic tabular medical works are known, (b) only few works by Andalusian Jewish authors of the late 11th or early 12th century have been found in the Genizah so far, (c) only one Judaeo-Arabic fragment of Ibn Biklārish'sKitāb al-Mustaʿīnīis known to date.The main importance of our find is that it is the first time that a rare Spanish medical book has appeared in the Cairo Genizah collection. Dozens of the Genizah's fragments have been identified as medical books, but none by a Spanish Jewish author, written in Judaeo-Arabic, and tabulated!
Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain & Ireland, 2013
Perfumes have been known as utilizable but exclusive products since antiquity. Use of aromatic su... more Perfumes have been known as utilizable but exclusive products since antiquity. Use of aromatic substances was first mentioned in archaic sources of the ancient world. The origin of such fragrant substances was mainly vegetable and animal. Throughout history, the use of subtle perfumes increased and some of the exotic materials became expensive and valuable commodities. They were the source of wealth for cultures and rulers. The contribution of the Arabs to the distribution of new crops, knowledge, industrial techniques and substances is a well-known phenomenon. In our article we intend to focus on the new perfumes that were distributed throughout the world thanks to the Arab conquests and the knowledge of their other uses, mainly medicinal, that was handed down along with the products themselves. About 20 common perfumes are known to have been used in the medieval world, though half of them were not mentioned in earlier sources.These phenomena will be dealt with and presented in a p...
One of the many medical recipes from the Cairo Geniza collected by Prof. Efraim Lev was identifie... more One of the many medical recipes from the Cairo Geniza collected by Prof. Efraim Lev was identified by Dr. Amir Ashur as probably written by Maimonides, the great Jewish philosopher, legalist and physician (1138-1203). The recipe was written to a certain, unknown, person, and his disease in not mentioned either.
The recipe contains various medical substances and plants, including precise description on how to use it. In this paper we will discuss this recipe, identify the substances and plants mentioned and we will try to place it in the wider context of Greek, Arabic and Medieval Mediterranean medicine.
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Papers by Efraim Lev
The recipe contains various medical substances and plants, including precise description on how to use it. In this paper we will discuss this recipe, identify the substances and plants mentioned and we will try to place it in the wider context of Greek, Arabic and Medieval Mediterranean medicine.