Img. ID: 346192
Sheet no. 1
The third and the fourth columns of text are inscribed within arches supported by columns with a floral motif. Above them, a floral ornament is drawn with a pen and ink. In the upper margin, between the arches, a couple while dancing is represented. It is hard to say if the depiction is directly related to the Esther story; it could be Purim celebrations or maybe the separation of Esther and Mordecai before her departure to the king's palace.
The text in the third column starts with two large hand-drawn and colored words ויעש כן (originally, they could be painted gold). They are followed by the word איש inscribed in large, hand-drawn letters. In this word, only an outline of each of four letters is marked; they are framed, and their background is filled with a floral motif executed in a pen and ink. Additionally, it is flanked by floral motifs.
Length of the sheets in the scroll: 1) ca. 750 mm, 2) ca. 745 mm, 3) ca. 375 mm (final part of the sheet is attached to the roller).
Dimensions of the selected details in the scroll:
- frames with illustrations: ca. 47x50 mm;
- width of the text columns: between ca. 100 and 150 mm;
- height of the text columns: between ca. 85 and 145 mm;
- an average letter: 2 mm (some letters are 5 mm high);
- letters in col. 10: 6 mm;
- letters in the initial words of the blessings: 12 mm.
The roller: ca. 345 mm.
The first membrane lacks its upper-right corner and it is torn in two places; there is also a yellow stain on it.
On the blank side of a sheet, a piece of silver tape is visible.
The edges of the sheets are dirty.
The Book of Esther in Hebrew preceded with the initial benedictions for the Megillah reading.
The scroll is formed of 3 sheets containing a total of 12 columns of text (+ initial column containing benedictions) that are of different shapes and very wide (the columns on the second sheet are similar to each other).
The number of lines of the text per column varies; the columns contain 12, 17, 20, 24, or 26-29 lines.
Col. 10 contains 12 lines divided into two parts and decorated. The last name of Haman's sons was omitted and it was added on the blank space, between the half-columns; these two words are reversed.
The number of columns of text per membrane: no. 1 - 4 (+ prefatory panel), no. 2 - 5, no. 3 - 3.
The text is inscribed in the Hebrew Ashkenazi stam script with tagin in brown ink on the flesh side of parchment membranes of different thicknesses. Their side of decorations and text is brighter and smoother than the blank side.
The scroll opens with a decorative initial word.
The letter ח (Es. 1:6) is highlighted by its size - it is enlarged, bolded, painted, and decorated with dots; two other letters in the word are executed in the same way too. The letter ת (Es. 9:29) is enlarged and bolded. Other enlarged and diminished letters are included in col. 10.
The text includes large letters פ with a flourish inside.
The letter ע of the last word is decorated.
The letters of the Tetragrammaton are enlarged and bolded. On the second sheet, they can be found four times.
The ruling is invisible.
The membranes in the scroll are glued together.
The benedictions are copied in a prefatory panel. The words ברוך אתה are inscribed in large hand-drawn and colored letters (they could be originally painted gold) separated from the rest of the formulas. They are written in the square script. Instead of the Tetragrammaton, a ligature is used.
None
A similar scroll is stored in a private collection in Europe.
No bibliography on the scroll is available.