For the Care of Body and Soul: A CPA Bible and an Arab-Islamic Medical Text in a Tenth-Century Palimpsest Fragment

This paper studies a palimpsest fragment from the Qubbat al-khazna in Damascus, which presents very interesting composition. The Christian Palestinian Aramaic (CPA) scriptio inferior, already identified as biblical text (Genesis 19.1-5, 7-10), coexists with Arabic superior. latter, except for identification of its general content, has not been studied so far. is an excerpt belonging to medical work entitled Mukhtaṣar fī l-ṭibb (Compendium medicine) – otherwise known just one manuscript witness, Rabat, Al-Khizāna al-ʿāmma, 2640 (D 1442c) written by Andalusian jurist ʿAbd al-Malik b. Ḥabīb (d. 238 AH/853 AD). paper, focused on textual analysis excerpt, provides edition and translation. study integrated palaeographical codicological examination script. These multidisciplinary investigations represent starting point some insights related history fragment. Specifically, Sinaitic-Palestinian origin, linked monastic environment, suggested, consideration peculiar features: botanical-pharmaceutical knowledge displayed superior, order fragment, well significant phenomenon discard religious (the Bible CPA) can be contextualised within »arabicisation« process that characterised milieu area second/eighth century onwards.