The Trade in Cairo Genizah Fragments in and out of Palestine in the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, thousands of Cairo Genizah fragments came into the possession of western institutions and private collectors through the activities of individuals trading in, from, and through Palestine. The Palestine antiquities trade has long been overlooked or ignored as any sort of factor in considering the origins and chain of custody for fragments labeled as from “The Cairo Genizah.” This article aims to redress that imbalance by examining the activities of twenty-one individuals involved in this trade. This first exploration of the connection between the Palestine Antiquities trade and the Cairo Genizah will further demonstrate the importance of provenance tracing.