The length of the membranes in the scroll: 1) 705 mm, 2) 710 mm, 3) 615 mm, 4) 515 mm.
Dimensions of the selected details in the scroll:
- opening decoration: 250x125 mm;
- columns of text are of different width, e.g. 140, 150, and 205 mm;
- an average letter: 4 mm;
- spaces between the lines: 3 mm.
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | *Esther's Story Characters (depicted not in narrative scenes): | Ahasuerus and Esther, enthroned
C | Columns
L | Lion
L | Landscape
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | *Esther's Story Characters (depicted not in narrative scenes): | Esther, the queen
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | *Esther's Story Characters (depicted not in narrative scenes): | Mordecai, the Jew
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | *Esther's Story Characters (depicted not in narrative scenes): | Ahasuerus, the king
O | Ornamentation: | Foliate and floral ornaments | Foliate motif
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | Bigthan and Teresh hanged (Es. 2:23)
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | Haman hanged (Es. 7:10)
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | Haman's sons hanged (Es. 9:14)
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) | Mordecai's triumph (Es. 6:11)
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | Esther writing the Purim letter (Es. 9:29)
V | Vase | Vase with flowers
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | Ahasuerus displaying the riches of his kingdom (Es. 1:4)
UnknownO | Ornamentation: | Initial word, framed | Initial word panel (Not used; see: Initial word panel, Illustrative, Initial word panel, decorative)
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The manuscript is well preserved and only slight damages are visible in it.
The details painted in green are preserved in worse condition.
The membranes are slightly dirty.
The Book of Esther in Hebrew
The scroll consists of 4 membranes containing a total of 11 columns with 29 lines per each, except for the col. 9 which is written in 11 lines divided into two half-columns.
The first three membranes contain 3 columns of text, and the fourth membrane contains 2 columns.
The text is inscribed in Hebrew square Ashkenazi stam script with tagin, in dense black ink on the flesh side of parchment membranes that are very thick and stiff, rather bright and a bit suede.
The letters ח (Es. 1:6) and ת (Es. 9:29) are enlarged, bolded, and colored; the letter ח is additionally decorated with scrolled feet. In the same way, the letters of the Tetragrammaton are highlighted. Other enlarged and diminished letters are included in col. 9.
The text contains some seriously elongated letters.
There are numerous and large corrections in the scroll (e.g. in col. 10).
The ruling - horizontal and vertical lines - is made with a hardpoint ruled across the width of the membranes.
The pricking is visible on the opening edge of the scroll.
The membranes in the scroll are stitched together.
None
In two places - on the first and second membranes - corrections can be seen. In both cases, a small piece of parchment was cut out and the proper words were written on small pieces of parchment that are glued underneath the membranes.
The ink in the scroll is still a bit shiny.
A short description and images are available on https://data.jck.nl/page/aggregation/jhm-museum/M000417 (accessed on 15.07.2021).