Sheet no. 3
The seventh roundel is decorated with vines with grapes.
On the right, there are two scenes: Esther before the king who is extending his scepter to her (Es. 5:2) and an angel who reads the imperial chronicles to the king during his sleepless night (an extra-biblical story based on Es. 6:1-3).
On the left, there is the triumph of Mordecai (Es. 6:11) and two messengers of the king holding sticks in his hands, they are delivering one of the king's decrees (possibly the decree allowing the Jews to defend themselves - Es. 8:11).
The eighth roundel is decorated with figures of unidentified heroes of the Esther story, birds, and flowers. It is partly visible in the image.
F | Fruits
G | Grapes
O | Ornamentation: | Foliate and floral ornaments
C | Cock (Hen, Rooster)
P | Parrot
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | Esther before the king (Es. 5:2)
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) | Sleepless night of the king (Es. 6:1)
E | Esther, Book of (following the order of the story) | Ahasuerus listening to the Book of Records (Es. 6:1-3)
A | Angel
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) | Ahasuerus' messenger(s) (Es. 8:14)
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.