Img. ID: 2616
Col. 16: The crowned Esther reclines on a bed on the left of the top cartouche with Haman kneeling before her. Behind Haman, the crowned Ahasuerus stands wielding a sword. His chamberlain, Harbonah, stands between him and Haman (Es. 7:8-9).
Haman hangs from gallows on the left of the bottom cartouche. Behind him the executioner removes the ladder while a dog looks on. The crowned Ahasuerus sits on his throne at the center. He holds out his ring on the tip of a finger of his left hand and holds a scepter in his right hand. The crowned Esther kneels before him and touches the top of the scepter. Mordecai and Harbonah stand on the right (Es. 8:1-4).
Col. 17: Ahasuerus, Esther and Mordecai stand gesturing on the left of the top cartouche, by the entrance of a building (Es. 8:7). Ahasuerus stands on a high pedestal within a small rotunda at the center of the bottom cartouche. He is flanked by Esther on the left and Mordecai on the right.
Col. 18: Ahasuerus, Esther and Mordecai sit around a table within a building on the right of the top cartouche. On the left of the cartouche, a post rides a horse towards the gates of the city in the background on the left (Es. 8:10). Mordecai, crowned and dressed in royal garments stands at the center of the bottom cartouche, before the crowned Ahasuerus who sits on his throne (Es. 8:15).
Benedictions sheet: 86 x 114 mm.
text col. space: (33-40) x (70-105) mm;
col. 20: 44 x 65 mm;
text col. height with decoration: 86-91 mm.
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | Harbona suggests to hang Haman (Es. 7:9)
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) | Ahasuerus extending his scepter to Esther (Es. 8:4)
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | Ahasuerus giving Esther the house of Haman (Es. 8:1)
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | Mordecai writing the king's decree (Es. 8:10)
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | Ahasuerus' messenger(s) (Es. 8:14)
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | Mordecai before Ahasuerus in royal apparel (Es. 8:15)
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The Book of Esther in Hebrew with initial and final benedictions written on a separate sheet
The scroll is formed of 5 sheets containing 23 columns of the text with 14 lines, except for col. 20 with 11 lines divided into two parts.
The text is written in the Hebrew square Italian script, in light brown ink, on the flesh side of parchment sheets.
The number of text columns per sheet: no. 1 - 5, no. 2 - 7, no. 3 - 5, no. 4 - 4, no. 5 - 2.
The ruling is made with a hardpoint: 14 horizontal lines; 2 additional lines in ink: 1 above and 1 below the text; 1+1 vertical lines. 4-5 vertical lines ruled on cols. 19-20.
The membranes in the scroll are stitched.
Pricking not discernible.
Benedictions: Instructions are written in the middle of the benediction sheet, in the round script by a later hand (?).
None
At least four scrolls featuring the same type of ornamentation exist; in the Index see ID 37877.
In the narrative scenes, some echoes of the Gaster I type scrolls (for their examples see in the Index) can be discerned.
Col. 8: the word - יום - "day" was added on the left by another hand.
Two holes punched along the inner edge of the scroll were probably designed for holding the roller.
Unknown