Developments in Egypt's early Islamic postal system (with an edition ofP.KhaliliII 5)

Jelle Bruning

doi:10.1017/s0041977x17001380

Abstract

AbstractThe importance of documentary sources for the history of the official postal system (barīd) in the first century of Islam has long been acknowledged. In addition to a small number of documents from the eastern part of the Muslim Empire, Egyptian papyri from the 90s/710s and 130s/750s form the main documentary sources for modern studies on the postal system. These papyri belong to a distinct phase in Islamic history. Papyri from other, especially earlier, phases have largely been neglected. The present article addresses the history of Egypt's official postal system from the Muslim conquest up toc.132/750. It argues that the postal system gradually developed out of Byzantine practices and was shaped by innovations by Muslim rulers through which their involvement in the postal system's administration gradually increased. The article ends with an edition ofP.KhaliliII 5, a papyrus document from 135/753 on the provisioning of postal stations.

Highlights

It is well known that historical studies of the first two centuries of Islam depend on sources other than the literary works written in the AH second/AD eighth century or later
In addition to a small number of documents from the eastern part of the Muslim Empire, Egyptian papyri from the 90s/710s and 130s/750s form the main documentary sources for modern studies on the postal system. These papyri belong to a distinct phase in Islamic history
Some documents and inscriptions have been found in Syro-Palestine and as far east as Soghdia, the bulk of our documentary sources on the early-Islamic postal system comes from Egypt.[1]

Summary

Introduction

It is well known that historical studies of the first two centuries of Islam depend on sources other than the literary works written in the AH second/AD eighth century or later. The article ends with an edition of P.Khalili II 5, a papyrus document from 135/753 on the provisioning of postal stations.

Results

Conclusion