Obj. ID: 9194
Sacred and Ritual Objects  Torah finials, Aden, 20th century

The torah finial consists of a shaft, a body and an apex.

The cylindrical tapering shaft is encircled on the top and bottom. The shaft is alternately decorated with vertical bands: the winding band bearing flowers, the band with horizontal lines and the blank one. The shaft is surmounted by a semi-globular capital. The capital bears rhomboid decoration, topped by punched vertical lines.

The tapering body is divide into two parts, separated by a narrow ring: the lower part and the upper part.

The lower part bears five bands, while two uppers and two lowers are symmetrically decorated. The bands that are closer to the central one bear horizontal floral motif. Others depict the vertical one. The central band is decorated with a geometrical pattern and bears eighteen undulating apexes. Nine chains terminating with globular bells are attached to each second apex.

The compressed upper part consists of two halves, each of which is encircled by two bands. The upper half bears bands similar to two ones of the cylindrical part of the body. A dedicatory inscription encircles the lower half. It is written in square letters and reads:

"זכה והקדיש הללו הרמונים לכסא של אליהו הנביא ז''ל (זכור לטוב)"

“These finials were ??? and dedicated for the Elijah’s chair, remembered for the good”.

This band tops another one, depicting leaves radiating from the bottom. Nine chains, terminating with globular bells are attached to the connection of the two halves.

A bell-shaped apex surmounts the body.