| Codex hebraicus 345
| Codex hebraicus 345
Haman hanged (Es. 7:10)
Mordecai before Ahasuerus (Es. 8:1)
Ahasuerus enthroned
Mordecai and Esther writing the Purim letter (Es. 9:29)
Ahasuerus extending his scepter to Esther (Es. 8:4)
Ahasuerus speaks to Esther and Mordecai (Es. 8:7-8)
Musician
Musical Instruments
Ahasuerus' messenger(s) (Es. 8:14)
Man on horseback
dancing
Flower
Tree
Chinoiserie |
Text panels nos. 9 and 10 (sheet 5) surrounded by hand-painted decoration.
Upper margin:
19. A pair in the garden or orchard - an unidentified scene.
20. A man in a long Oriental gown next to the gallows - Mordecai watching at hanged Haman (Es. 7:10).
21. A man kneeling before the king seated on the throne who extends the scepter to him - Mordecai before Ahasuerus (Es. 8:1), likely at the moment when the king promotes him to the position of vizier (Es. 8:2).
22. The king enthroned.
23. A man and a woman sit at two tables with writing tools on them - Mordecai and Esther write the Purim letter (Es. 9:29).
24. Three men in Chinese clothing sitting on a balcony (?) - an unidentified scene.
Lower margin:
17. On the right, the king seated on the throned is shown and two people stand before him - they are Mordecai and Esther before Ahasuerus. The king extends the scepter to Esther (Es. 8:4) and Mordecai is standing next to her. This can be the moment when Esther asks for the permission to alllow the Jews to defend themselves.
18. An oversized blossoming plant.
19. Two musicians playing wind instruments.
20. A tree with fruits.
21. Three mounted men - the king's messengers delivering the decree (Es. 8:14).
22. An oversized blossoming plant.
23. A Chinese couple - a man is playing a string instrument and a woman is ringing a bell while dancing - an unidentified scene.
The scroll is formed of 7 sheets containing 28 columns of the text with 17 lines except for col. 23 with 11 lines divided into two parts.
Each membrane contains 2 text panels with 4 columns of the text.
The text is inscribed in the Hebrew square Italian script, in black ink, on the flesh side of parchment membranes that is brighter than the blank side that is more yellow.
The letter ח (Es. 1:6) is highlighted by its form (it is formed of two elements joined with a roof) and size (it is larger than an average letter in the scroll). The letter ת is enlarged and bolded (Es. 9:29). Other enlarged and diminished letters are included in col. 23.
The ruling is slightly visible, in some places only.
The membranes in the scroll are stitched.
None
A similar megillah stored in the Library of Congress, the African and Middle Eastern Division in Washington (no. 038.00.00) is described: https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/an-illuminated-megillah-judaic-treasures (accessed on 24.09.2020).
Hans-Walter Stork, Falk Wiesemann, Codex hebraicus 345, [in:] Irina Wandrey ed., Manuscript Cultures, vol. 6, 249-252.
Images of the scroll are available on https://resolver.sub.uni-hamburg.de/kitodo/PPN895256576 (accessed on 24.09.2020).