🚀 go-pugleaf

Unto all who read these words, and most particularly the learned
Hossein Ali Qomi (may he live to be a hundred and twenty!), greetings
from Yaakov.

In article <1993Jan23.013302.29603@mintaka.lcs.mit.edu> greg@silver.lcs.mit.edu (Hossein Ali Qomi (mka Gregory F. Rose)) writes:

>Now for the real kicker.  "_In Atlantia fit_" is perfectly grammatical
>medieval Latin.  Yet, it doesn't have a medieval flavor to it.  I have
>examined thousands of medieval artifacts with manufacturer and
>ownership marks on them and I have never seen a national reference.
>Only occasionally do you see reference to a town.  Overwhelmingly it is
>the name of the manufacturer or owner which is present in the
>ablative with some form of _fio_.  "Made in Atlantia" has the ring of
>"Made in the U.S.A." precisely because physical identification of
>national origin of manufactured goods is a modern concept, not a
>medieval one.

Oh most learned Excellency (for it has come to my ears that this
long deserved accolade has at last been given), do you in your
discussion include seals?  For mine own studies have shown that many
communitties had seals, with which to stamp papers and goods
manufactured therein. (See Friedenberg, *Medievel Jewish Seals from 
Europe* p.94, p.133, and others.)  Also, in matters of ritual
importance, such as the growers of Etrogim, they would indicate
the place of origin. (This being important, as some Etrog growers
would use the fruits of grafted trees.  Such a practice is forbidden
among our people.)  Thus, the place where the etrog was grown became 
important, as certain regions could not be trusted.  So to with
other objects for which particular items of worth became associated.
(This last assertion comes from a speach I heard several years
ago from Prof. Jonathon Sarna of Brandies on the evolution of the
Etrog market.)

Thus, I postulate that an item might have placed on it some seal
of Atlantia, even if the sign be not engraved as a makers mark.
Howeer, if this custom be unknown among the Christians, than
I pray someone of more knowledge inform me.

In Service,
Yaakov