La nisba tribale entre identification individuelle et catégorisation. Variations dans la Sicile des xe-xiie siècles
This article aims to elucidate the role played by tribal nisba-s in people’s names in Sicily between the tenth and the twelfth century. The sources considered (narratives and ṭabaqât) allow us to describe the context in which local administrative as well as notarial documents should be read.Islamic...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Université de Provence
2010-07-01
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| Series: | Revue des Mondes Musulmans et de la Méditerranée |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.openedition.org/remmm/6586 |
| Summary: | This article aims to elucidate the role played by tribal nisba-s in people’s names in Sicily between the tenth and the twelfth century. The sources considered (narratives and ṭabaqât) allow us to describe the context in which local administrative as well as notarial documents should be read.Islamic personal names, consisting of various elements, allow selective variations according to context, and tribal nisba-s are not necessarily central to individual identification. Sanctioned by the learned and an almost necessary requirement for witnesses of notarial acts, the tribal nisba indicates urban élite-status and aristocrayic birth, whereas it remains very rare in rural areas as can be documented through fiscal rolls. Thus, tribal nisba-s convey social attributes (such as honour or class), rather than merely indicating a person’s individual identity. Individuals are defined in relation to groups i.e. the tribe and its fame. Therefore, tribal nisba-s categorize rather than individualize. |
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| ISSN: | 0997-1327 2105-2271 |