Sheet no. 4
The ninth "roundel" is oval in shape and decorated with several Purim jesters and an unidentified animal between trees. On the right, a figure of an unidentified man - possibly a hero of the Esther story - is standing. Above and below him, there are bouquets of flowers.
The roundel is followed by the tenth column of text that is an exception in the scroll because it is not framed. It contains only the names of Haman's sons (Es. 9:6-10) written in 11 lines divided into two half-columns and between them, the depictions of the death of Haman and his ten sons are incorporated (Es. 7:10 and Es. 9:14 or Es. 9:25). However, in this column, only Haman's sons, not Haman himself, are hanged. Haman is executed on a Catherine wheel atop the gallows, a representation rarely found in megillot Esther.
R | Rainbow, Benediction of
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | Esther story protagonists
T | Tree
J | Jester
P | Purim | Purim costume
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | Haman's sons hanged (Es. 9:14)
O | Ornamentation: | Main text framed
|
The scroll is preserved in good condition, although its final part is damaged - the membrane is crumpled and the decorations are slightly visible.
The Book of Esther in Hebrew
The scroll is formed of 4 sheets, in total containing 12 columns of text with 23-26 lines of different lengths, except for col. 10 which has 11 lines divided into two half-columns.
The number of columns of text per sheet: no. 1 - 2, nos. 2 and 3 - 3, no. 4 - 4.
The text is written in Hebrew square Ashkenazi script in dark brown-black ink on parchment membranes.
The letters ח (Es. 1:6) and ת (Es. 9:29) and the letters of the name of God are enlarged and bolded. Other enlarged and diminished letters are included in col. 10.
There are some corrections and erasures in the text.
The ruling is invisible.
The pricking on the membranes' edges can be seen.
The membranes of the scroll are glued together.
It seems that this scroll and two other scrolls featuring the same style (see "Related objects) were executed by the same artist, although two of them are decorated with roundels while the third one is decorated with octagons.
The Jewish World 365 Days, from the Collections of The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, New York 2004, 182-183.