Img. ID: 348734
Sheet no. 2
Illustration 8 depicts Mordecai standing at the gate and receiving clothes from Hatach (Es. 4:4). On the right, a building is visible.
Sheet no. 3
The decorative scheme surrounding columns of text nos. 9-13 contains arcades that support a balustrade located in the upper margin with pairs of birds flanking the cartouches above each arch. Flower-filled vases atop each column separate these decorative illuminations. The lower margin is filled with figurative scenes that chronicle the narrative of the Book of Esther:
Illustration 9 on the right, King Ahasuerus sits on a canopied throne. He extends his royal scepter to the crowned Esther, who kneels before him and touches the tip of the scepter. Esther is accompanied by three maid-servants (Es. 5:2-3).
Illustration 10 depicts the first banquet given by Esther (Es. 5:5). Esther, Ahasuerus, and Haman sit at a round feast table; the king sits on the canopied throne.
Illustration 11 includes two depictions. On the right, stands the gallows prepared by Haman for Mordecai (Es. 5:14). On the left, Ahasuerus reclines on his bed while a man stands before him reading possibly from an open book (Es. 6:1).
Illustration 12 depicts Mordecai rides a horse while Haman walks before him and blows a trumpet (Es. 6:11). The scene of the triumph of Mordecai is supplemented by the depiction of Haman's daughter who, from a window above, empties a chamber pot on her father's head (based on Megillah 16a).
Illustration 13 contains three depictions. On the right, the second banquet given by Esther is shown (Es. 7:1). The queen sits at a round laid table and is accompanied by both Ahasuerus, who sits on the canopied throne, and Haman. In the central part, Haman is prostrated on the floor before Esther and is begging for his life, while Ahasuerus returns from the palace gardens (Es. 7:7-8). On the left, the king stands in the palace garden with a scepter in his hand and talks to another man, possibly Harbonah who suggests hanging Haman on the gallows he had once prepared for Mordecai (Es. 7:9).
Length of the sheets in the scroll: 1) 250x510 mm, 2) 260x480 mm, 3) 260x595 mm.
Dimensions of sheets nos. 2 and 3 that are sewn together: 260x1075 mm.
A | Arch
C | Columns
V | Vase | Vase with flowers
O | Ornamentation: | Foliate and floral ornaments | Flower
O | Ornamentation: | Cartouche
C | Cock (Hen, Rooster)
B | Bird
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | Mordecai receiving clothes from Hatach (Es. 4:4)
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | Ahasuerus extending his scepter to Esther (Es. 5:2)
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | Esther touching the scepter (Es. 5:2)
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | Esther's first banquet (Es. 5:5-8)
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | Gallows built for Mordecai (Es. 5:14)
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | Ahasuerus listening to the Book of Records (Es. 6:1-3)
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | Sleepless night of the king (Es. 6:1)
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | Mordecai's triumph (Es. 6:11)
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | Haman's daughter empties a chamber pot on her father's head (Bab. Talmud, Megillah 16a)
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | Esther's second banquet (Es. 7:1)
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | Ahasuerus returns from the palace garden (Es. 7:8)
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | Haman begging for his life (Es. 7:8)
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | Harbona suggests to hang Haman (Es. 7:9)
O | Ornamentation: | Main text framed
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The scroll is incomplete; it lacks the text from Es. 1:1-Es. 1:12 and from 8:12 until the end of the book.
The first sheet is separated from the remaining two sheets of the scroll.
The first membrane, particularly its upper margin, is preserved in very poor condition. Also, the illustrations painted on it are seriously damaged.
The edges of the second membrane are frayed.
Some parts of the text are erased.
The Book of Esther in Hebrew
The preserved part of the scroll is formed of 3 sheets containing a total of 13 columns of text with 22 lines each.
The number of columns per sheet: no. 1 - 4 columns, no. 2 - 4 columns, no. 3 - 5 columns.
The text is written in Hebrew square Italian script in black ink by two different hands.
The text and decorations are on the flesh side of the parchments.
There are numerous elongated letters in the text.
The membranes in the scroll are stitched together, but the first sheet is separated from the two remaining sheets that are sewn together.
None
Above text columns nos. 1-7, מגלת אסתר - "Megilat Esther" is inscribed.
Some details in the scroll are painted gold.
The illustrations in the scroll are not an exact copy of these illustrating the scrolls representing Gaster II type.
No bibliography on the scroll is available.