Obj. ID: 3640
  Sacred and Ritual Torah case, Tunisia, 20th century
194622.DOC
The prismatic Torah case consists of a body and a coronet.
The Torah case is divided into two vertical halves at the centre of its front facet, while the back facet is separated from the body and attached to each half by hinges. The case comprises twelve facets and is encircled, at its upper and lower edges by two strips creating two friezes (figs. 1, 2). Similar narrow strips also frame each facet.
The open-work coronet is composed of twelve units which continue the body’s facets. Each facet is shaped as a scrolled harp.
The inner face is of plain wood. Each half has a double shelf, at the bottom and the top (fig. 2). The bottom space is blocked by a bar with a rectangular opening, to insert the hands for raising the Torah, while a bar with eight holes blocks the space between the upper shelf and ceiling. Two holes for inserting the Torah scroll staves appear at the bottom and the top.
sub-set tree: 
Structure: sawed, carved
Decoration: carved
Bonding: nailed, hinged
Width: 268 mm